■ 

fee. 



I 




u&BG Hnlflfl 




i^Mn^y: -,&,; ~y™77«?iwm 









mm*rV^^ 



tm^^Mm^ 



^m^$c^^ 



/v^aa a ,a 



MW ; 



^aVaPaV^a' *^a, 












CANNOT LEAVE THE LIBRARY. 

CH4P..-J-- 

Shelf. *__l_.2-^_. 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



'MaAiMaaa/ 



'*W^ ! 



I LI BRARY OF CONGRESS. 



,AM*AA 



nA&sft 



;^; A ****;^fl 



«i*>^^ 



!$# 






^/W 






AAAA^^^fU 



r- ~ ^ /-v' % a<* 






ft/"'AiVW 



*MMMffl*A 



^AP''" 



.^:tefl»: 






Utwam 






m*tfww 



AHVAAAW 



AaAA/V 



A,AAA,^jnr 
aAAAo^' 



WJWJaW 



^/^^ aA 



A^^X'-'aA 



nA*^' v AMn 



*A*W* 



immmmmm 



a/SAAa. ^ 



*tmm^ 



AAAA^ 



^aA^. 



AaaAI 



aAaaMaWj 



£'*AAAa 



^^aaAA** *&*£ 



^A^^AAAA'AkXAA' 









.AAf^ 



^f^r^fif^Hf^ 






aAAa 



^aa££C*i 
aa/^ a AAaA 



■aaAaa^A' 



•aaaa.Oaaa? 



aW 






^(Mf^t0^ 



aAiAA^^ 



NO. 5. 



(Sield&n (§Ie;<img 



FROM 



e: ftG&uenlu fiieifit 



EGtoLES. 



two emu mtNEQ 



f 






JAN 2^ 1898 



^\ p 



B WLE& PAMPHLETS. 



FARADAY PAMPHLETS. 



CARRIE E. S. TWING, MEDIUM. 

No. 1.— Experiences of Samuel Bowles in 
Spirit Life, with Later Papers; price, 15c 
Postage 2c. 

Later Papers; price, 6c, post. lc. 

No. 2. — Contrasts in Spirit Life; price 
30c, post. 3c. 

No. 3.— Interviews with Spirits; price, 30c, 
post. 4c. 

.• No. 4. — Out of the Depths into the 
Light. Price, 25 cents, postage, 2 cents. 



Appeals to the Methodists. 

BY 
GILBERT HAVEN. 

Sold by the Star Publishing Co., 91 Sherman St. 
Springfield. Mas.-*. Price, 5 cents. Postage, lc. 

This is a sixteen page pamphlet, claiming 
to be appeals from spirit Bishop. Haven, to the 
Methodists, to avail themselves of the medium- 
ship now existing in their church, and to encour- 
sage tlie development of their own mediums. 



Glimpses of Heaven. 

BY 

Gilbert Haven. 

[Late Bishop of the M. E. Church.) 

Mrs. Carrie E. S. Twing, Medium. 

H. A. Budisgton, Publisher. 

91 Sherman St., Springfield, Mass. 

Price, 20 cents. Postage, 2 cents. 

Contents, — What his former "Appeals" 
have accomplished. — John Wesley. — Methodists 
reading his "Appeals. Many ministers sensitives. 
—The grandeur of spirit-life.— A visit with Rev. 
John Wesley. — The Bitterness ot death. — Music 
in Heaven. — The Concert for Healing. — Mar- 
riage in Heaven.— Babes in Heaven. — Old Peo- 
ple in Heaven. — Whittier.— Longfellow. — Teu- 
nyson, — The useless praise of God. — Dangers 
irom the Catholics. — Their Purgatory, etc. 



No. 1.- THE RELATION OF THE SPIRIT- 
UAL TO THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE; THE 
LAW OF CONTROL. New Edition, Enlarged 
and Revised, by M. Faraday, 15 cts, post. 1 ct. 

No.2.— THE ORIGIN of LIFE, or WHERE 
MAN COMKS FROM. THE EVOLUTION OF 
THE SPIRIT FROM MATTER THROUGH OR- 
GANIC PROCESSES, or How the Spirit Body 
Grows. New Edition, Enlarged and Revised by 
M. Faraday. Price, 10 cts. post. 1 ct. 

No.3.— THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPIR- 
IT AFTER TRANSITION; THE ORIGIN OF 
RELIGIONS, by M. Faraday. Price, 10 cts, 
post. lc. 

No.4.— THE PROCESS OF MENTAL AC- 
TION; or How We think, by M. Faraday. Price. 

15 cts, post. 2cts. 

No.5.— THE ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTIAN 
RELIGION, THE LIFE OF APOLLONIUS OF 
TYANA. The Pagan Priests of Rome 

in secret session. Startling Confessions 

of its Founders. Transcribed by M. Faraday. 
208 pages. Price, boards, 75 cts, paper 50 cts. 
Post. 5 cts. 

THE BIRTH PLACE OF JESUS. 
Extract from No. 5. Price, 10 cts. 

WHO WROTE THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

Extract from No 5. Price, 10 cts. 

No.tf.— OBSESSION, or How Evil Spirits Influ- 
ence Mortais. By M. Faraday. P. 23, price, U 
cts, postage, lc. 

No. 7.— PROGRESSION; or How a Spirit Ad- 
vances in Spirit Life;— THE EVOLUTION OF 
MAN, by M. Faraday. P.P. 35. 15 cts. Post. 1 c. 

N0.8.-DISSOLUTION, or PHYSICAL DEATH. 
HOW SPIRIT CHEMISTS PRODUCE MATE- 
RIALIZATION, by M. Faraday, Price, Sets, 
post. lc. 

No.9.— THE RELATIONS OF SCIENCE TO 
THE PHENOMENA OF LIFE, by M. Faraday. 
Price, lOcts, post lc. 

No. 10.— Mental Evolution, or the Process 
of Intellectual Development. 10 o, post. 1 c. 

For sale by the Star Publishing Co., 91 Sher- 
man St., Springfield, Mass. 



GOLDEN GLEAMS 



[. If \ FROM 

THE HEAVENLY LIGHT, 



BY 

SPIRIT SAMUEL BOWLES. 



[Late Editor Springfield (Mass) Republican.] 

• 



Mrs: Czrotinn K S. Twing, Medium. 



ISSUED BY 



THE STAR PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

91 Sherman St., 

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 

Price 30 Cents, Postage, Free. 



(( 



JAN 2^1 



*T "*7 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1898, by H. A. 
Budington, Springfield, Mass., in the office of the Librarian of 
Congress at Washington, D. C. 



DEDICATION. 

To the rank and file of humanity, seeking for a 
glimpse of the kingdom of Truth, I dedicate 
this book. 

Samuel Bowles. 



INTRODUCTION. 

In all the efforts I have made for the enlightenment of 
the people of earth on spiritual lines of thought, I have 
never sent out a book which carried with it a stronger 
prayer for investigation than this. 

I know it will meet opposition and ridicule from a 
public, waiting to criticise and laugh down all efforts 
of those called dead, to reach it. 

I know religious bigots will frown it down and label 
it dangerous. 

I know the lady, whose hand I used, will by some, 
be held responsible, when even many of the sentiments 
expressed, are not at all in line with her way of thinking 

I know a conspiracy of silence regarding it will as 
formerly, be maintained in one direction. 

I know it will be declared unlike my former style — less 
graphic, and lacking in many of the attributes which 
the world is now pleased to say I once possessed. 

These opinions may in some measure, be true; but I 
would like to have this test applied: read to some com- 
petent person, an extract from my best earthly writing, 
either editorial or descriptive, and then one of the best 
extracts from this book, and see if an unprejudiced mind 
will not perceive a similarity in the two — the first written 
when I used my own hand— this book, written, often 
under great difficulty, when I used the hand of another. 

I send this little book out on a mission. The others 
have produced results far beyond my hopes and expec- 
tations. I send this out as a protest against the unbe- 
lief which will not recognize in the Infinite, a controlling 
power, which can always keep the spiritual world watch- 
ing and guarding the material world. 

Samuel Bowles. 



PAPER I. 

A Visit to an Art Gallery in Heaven. 

Mary said to me one morning, "Samuel, let us do 
something human, let us visit the art gallery you 
were invited to visit sometime ago, and learn to 
love the heavenly pictures as we loved the earth- 
ly ones, crude though they would seem to us now." 

So we started out from our happy home, leaving 
the doors wide open — no fear of thieves here. We 
passed by homes where the voices of children were 
heard in song — we passed b}^ gatherings where ab- 
struse questions were being discussed — we saw 
bands of anxious-looking spirits, speeding away to 
be in time at some death-bed scene in earth life. 
But there was no crowding; no one was seeking a 
bargain counter; no one wanted an electric car; no 
one was in a rush for a train; but every one was 
eager that the hours should bring something to 
their soul-life. 

"Do you want to go with me?" asked Mary; "now 
I think of it, I remember you were not very much 
impressed by pictures in the old life.'' 

"Yes, I want to go. I loved beauty and art, 
but I was obliged to subordinate them to the prac- 
tical utilities of life. I had but little time for es- 
thetic musings. I lived among disenchanting, com- 
mon place realities; and you see the effect of it now. 
I can report a meeting of any kind, but I cannot de- 
scribe this heavenly scenery, or half do justice to 
one leaf or flower." 



-2 

"I think you do very nicely," said my comfor- 
ter. 

We had now come to the gallery — an immense 
structure of what seemed to be white cut glass 
which alternated with blocks of murky whiteness. 
The effect was very beautiful; but the roof was the 
culmination of architecture, and although of the 
same material, it was gathered together like a cloth 
drapery around a common center and culminated in 
the immense tower from which waves of light of 
changing hue, illuminated the interior. This vast 
structure was divided by great archwa3 T s, making 
different apartments for the different classes of pic- 
tures. 

The pictures in the first department were paint- 
ed by those who had in earth life so longed to 
copy nature, but whose hands were tied; those 
whose days were filled with hard labor and whose 
nights gave but little rest, and with sad longings for 
days that would never come in earth life. There 
were hundreds of pictures which looked more like 
living scenes in nature than like pictures. 

One that particularly enchained our attention 
was a flower scene, where different kinds of flowers 
were grouped without the least inharmony in color- 
ing — no color challenged another color to hide from 
a superior beauty. All was perfect harmony. 

I noticed my wife, edging up to the picture 
and looking around to see if any one objected, she 
put her white hand upon arose bud. "Oh! It is on 
a flat surface after all," said she; "I was sure it was 
raised; I thought I could pick that bud.'' 

There were pictures of homes where all was 



3 
happiness — of laughing children and of happy pa- 
rents — pictures of landscapes that made one almost 
smell the new-mown hay, or hear the tinkle of the 
cow bell in the adjoining pasture — pictures of dash- 
ing waves against rock-bound coasts — of mountains, 
towering in the distance — of sheep, grazing on the 
plain — of the thatched roof of some home, well 
loved by earthly association — pictures of wonderful 
chasms, the result of the convulsions of nature — pic- 
tures of happy boyhood, with clothes torn and with 
bare feet, out in the rain, trying to catch some ducks 
to bring them in out of the wet — pictures that told 
of hope long deferred and trust that would not be 
dismayed — of death there and life here. 

I speak in the plural, because every picture had 
a companion piece of the same character, painted by 
different artists to show the status of power pos- 
sessed by the artists. 

u, These pictures are only the early efforts of 
these artists," said a gentleman standing by. "They 
have done very creditable work since.' , 
"Creditable work !" said my wife, her eyes wide open 
in wonder. "What do you call these, when I reach out 
to pick a rosebud, and bend my head to hear the 
murmur of a stream? See the limbs of those trees, 
swaying in the breeze. I think I hear the noise 
and they seem to move." 

"It is an illusion, caused by the light thrown 
upon them from the main tower," replied he; 
and the sound, madam, I think that must have 
been an illusion." 

"No, it is not," she stoutly maintained. 

"Come a little farther beyond this archway," 



4 

said our friend. As we reached the place, we were 
in the midst of those pictures which have been sym- 
bols of the world's slavery for centuries — the Naza- 
rine and his life work. There were the wise men 
kneeling on the sand in the desert, watching for the 
star — the Egyptian, the Hindu and the Greek. In 
the dim distance, a faint outline of their waiting 
camels could be seen. Their faces are lighted by 
the radience of the new star which should lead them 
on. 

Then the manger and child; a little way from Joseph 
and Mary, under the same covering are cattle, peace- 
fully standing, not knowing they had shared their 
covering with one destined to be a Teacher of the 
world. Then comes the scene in the Temple when the 
boy of twelve years confounded all his questioners. 
The artist had put such an intense expression into 
his face and such a look of astonishment into the 
faces of those who questioned, that they seemed 
to be living, breathing people of that age. 

Then came the multitude on the mountain side — 
the baptism by John and the a dove descending — the 
wedding feast — the conversation at the well with 
the woman of Samaria— the healing touch — the 
pool of Bethesda — his arraignment before Pilot — the 
last supper— up Calvary's heights — on the cross — 
angels at the tomb — the stone rolled away — his ap- 
pearance after the crucifixion. ■ 

In every picture, the face of the Nazarine was a 
speaking face: the faces of his enemies were black 
with hate, and the pitying ones who followed even to 
the cross, had tears oh their cheeks which seemed 
about to drop. 



My wife stood there with eyes bedimmed in tears. 
"Mary," said I, "This man who suffered, helped us 
all by his example of patience; bat so has every 
good man and good woman who has worked for a 
cause that meant redemption from any sin that binds 
us." 

"But his life was so unlike all other lives," said 
she. I did not argue the question with her. I had 
noticed that on one side a drapery covered a picture 
and had not thought best to raise it, but the friend 
who had still lingered near, came forward and rais- 
ing it, showed the most beautiful conception yet of 
"the man of sorrow." 

Hard headed as I am, 1 felt like bowing at the 
shrine of that art which could put so much expres- 
sion into one face; so much of strength and so much 
of living love. The clear eyes seemed to read us 
through and through. I could sympathise with 
Mary when she said, "I am the way, the truth and 
the life." 

"You have not all the thought of the artist yet," 
said the guide;" and he slipped aside a little pannel 
and we beheld in illuminated letters — "The Re- 
deemer of the world is not Egyptian, Hindu, Greek 
or Hebre v; but is with the human, the building up of 
character from lessons of both ancient teachers and 
present helpers to that degree of excellence which 
is saving in itself." 

Mary turned away with a disappointed look, 
and said, "Oh! who could spoil that wondrous pic- 
ture by such heresy? He died to redeem the world." 

I did not argue with her; but we passed along 
to the work of the old masters — wonderful in execu- 



lion, remarkable in coloring, with no coarseness of 
texture visible on near approach, but still they did 
not chain my wife's attention like those just seen. 

The apartments of Buddha and Mohammend 
had also their pictures — wonderful in design; telling 
the history of the bondage of millions of people. 
But their superstitions seemed so strange to Mary 
and I, while ours was so near to our lives. 

" Why are such ideas kept up?" I asked. "They 
only end in bitter disappointment." 

The guide replied, k4 They are yet necessary as an 
education to those who have lived in that realm. If 
these devotional spirits had not had the chance to 
bring out their ideas of Jesus, they would never 
have touched their brushes to canvas. Souls must 
find expression there or here. The pent-up lives of 
those who are reverent, talented and children of ge- 
nius, must find expression. It would be like leav- 
ing something out of their lives, when they have 
lived in the love of an ideal, to forbid such expres- 
sion. We daily see here what working out one's 
salvation means. It is uphill work. Nature's stu- 
dents are happiest: they hear whispers from the 
lips of the granite rocks they are painting. They find 
flowers, the chalices of divine workmanship. They 
revel in the pleasure of painting Alpine glaciers 
with fragile flowers shuddering upon the verge of 
eternal snow. They make the willow touch the 
stream and then smile at the study they have in the 
limped water. They chain the animals to them by 
links of love and then glory in the light which shines 
from their velvet eyes." 

"But does it pay," I asked him, "when so many 



7 

stern duties are pressing upon us, to give so much 
time to art?" 

"Think back, 1 ' he said, "that is an expression 
of earth: you are in eternity now, and it is all yours. 
Let the dreamer dream; the student pursue his stu- 
dies: the reformer work out the grand possibilities 
of his life: the singer waken the echoes of heaven: 
nothing can be wasted. All these experiences have 
their bearing upon the life of the individual, and 
we are in a land of individual rights/' 

We went home, and Mary went at once to her 
room. I did not follow her; I knew that which was 
fighting for the ascendency in her mind, and I knew 
she would make a wise choice between reason and 
superstition. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER II. 
Union Meeting of the Clergy. 

<4 Well, I would not miss attending this conven- 
tion on any account," said I to my wife, as we were 
conversing upon other subjects, and was interrupt- 
ed by the clear voice of a child, saying, "Union 
meeting of the clergy at the Great Temple; all in- 
vited." 

We had no great preparations to make." Mary 
did not need a maid, nor I a man to assist in getting 
ready. While going there, Mary said, "It is so nice 



to have the clergy meet together in harmony. How 
different from the old life it will be !'" 

Bat I said, "Wait and see." 

When we entered the Temple, we were greeted 
by such music as made us both pause and bow our 
heads. If it was an organ whieh produced those 
sounds of harmony, it had but little resemblance to 
the organs of the old life, and the organist must 
have had large experience in both sides of life, be- 
side having a gift from high heaven. The sounds 
rose up as if in praise and adoration, clear and sweet 
as the voice of happy childhood, then sank into mi- 
nor notes that told of triumph through suffering, 
then were heard the deep tones of strength, fol- 
lowed by those of victory ! 

I never shall know the name of the music rendered 
that day, for when I asked, the answer was, "It is 
the story of a life, told in music, and the musician 
was not known in earth life, only as an amateur per- 
former. " 

When we at last obtained a seat in the crowded 
Temple, I looked around in wonder, and said to 
Mary, "See the interest manifested in this work." 
The great platform was full of men, and women too; 
even the galleries were packed with fair women, 
mostly dressed in white, and strong-looking men, 
dressed in the simple garb of this realm. 

Henry Ward Beecher was chairman of the 
meeting. He arose and asked all to join in singing 
a hymn, beginning with 

"Rejoice, rejoice, the victory will be won." 
They all seemed to know the words except my wife 
and I and all could sing too — an attribute of this 



9 
life is singing with the voice as well as a song in the 
soul. 

As they did not open with prayer, and went at 
once about their business, Mary said, "They have 
forgotten to pray." 

"I presume it is not forgotten, dear, "said I, 
"perhaps they are going to work out their prayers." 

Mr. Beecher said, "The object of this meeting 
is to produce a union '"of thought about essentials, 
by which we may better give impressions to the 
people of earth and not transmit so many varying 
ideas as are now being given; also the dropping of 
old credal systems, which mean bondage. We have 
present, I believe, people of all shades of thought, 
who are in earnest in their desires to teach our earth 
friends how to eliminate from their present creeds 
those dogmas that are heavy weights to them if they 
desire freedom. I will not say much more now. 
For years I have been manipulating the brain of 
Lyman Abbott, and now I know that I have succeed- 
ed, for from my old pulpit he is preaching words of 
deliverance. No more is the bloody history 
of a bloody and licentious age, put before the peo- 
ple as the work or inspiration of the Divine Being. 
No more are they taught to accept anything with- 
out adequate reason. 

I want to ask you, my brethren, what are you 
doing for the emancipation of your different church- 
es? I will first call upon Father Ryan, who is still 
remembered ou earth, more for the truths he taught 
in glorious song, written in such varied ways, and un- 
der such varied circumstances that it touched hearts 
more than all his church work ever did. 



10 

What are you striving to eliminate from your old 
Catholic views to help the world? " 

Father Ryan, the Poet Priest. 

A strange smile passed over his dreamy face. 
"I almost think I am anxious to eliminate the whole 
church," replied he and then he added, "How ter- 
rible, oh! how terrible the whole plan, based on an 
unnatural birth — making the mother an un wedded 
woman — making the father one who did not care 
for virtue — making the mother more of a God than 
the son, and placing before the ignorant, a scapegoat 
for all bad actions. 

The church ! what would I not do for it ? I 
would banish confession, extirminate the thought of 
prayers being paid for, to help friends through pur- 
gatory, throw open the doors of every convent and 
let the world know what dens of wickedness they 
are: I would hurl from the pulpit, the coarse, drink- 
ing men who minister to the people, and put them 
with pick and shovel, in the ditch where they be- 
long; I would educate the people of my old church, 
aye, educate them so they would no more be subject 
to their present thralldom. I would sing songs of 
freedom and give to the world the rosary of years, 
passed under heaven's blest dome — years, in which 
the individual is responsible, and not the church. 

In some ways, I knew better, far better than 
I acted, but in the old life I had not the courage to 
assert myself. I cannot forgive myself for this neg- 
lect." 

He seated himself, and bowed his head in deep 
humiliation. 

Then many voices joined in the song 
''Work on, work on, the harvest time is coming 
By and by." 



11 

"Will Phillips Brooks now honor us with his 
thoughts upon this subject?" 

There was a subdued murmur of admiration ex- 
pressed by the audience as he arose before them with 
a majesty and symplicity of bearing that seemed to 
express the thought before he opened his lips. 
When he did speak, the first sentence was like an 
emancipation proclamation ! "I would have men 
free ! I would have my church people free from 
error; for they are in error ! I do not mean merely 
the handful that I ministered to in my dear old home, 
but I would have every organization which has 
arisen out of the old Episcopalian faith, free ! Like 
my brother, I see the chains. 'I believe in the res- 
urrection of the body.' Strike that out! for thou- 
sands of lips say those words and act as though they 
have no belief in their truth ! My body ! would 1 
have it again ? clumsy and uncouth; could it compare 
with the one I now have? and this is not yet fault- 
less. Consider the thought, my friends; if a time 
were ever coming when we would all have to re- 
turn to those cramped conditions, try to waken the 
echoes of memory in the old brain, use the old, wea- 
ry hands; and some of you would have to take that 
old, wrinkled flesh and rejuvenate it. 

Would its yellow hue compare with the trans- 
parency of this spiritual flesh with which we are 
clothed ? Could we cause our spiritual blood 
to flow through the old veins and arteries ? Would 
the old heart respond to such spiritual fluids as we 
send through these throbbing veins ? Would the 
old nerves awake to new action and do their won- 
derful work of telegraphing to all parts of the body? 



12 

No ! no ! Lie still pale hands ! Your work is 
done. Grey matter of the brain, get out of your 
prison wall ! and send your strength out into na- 
ture's vast store-house — pulseless heart, make the 
heart of a rose, pink in memory of the faithful ser- 
vice you have given, in sending the red blood to 
give life to manhood's prime. Old limbs, once so 
strong, let your bones and sinews give force and 
strength to trees, whith which to shelter graves where 
no other monuments are erected in memory of life's 
battles. Old bodies of generations past, bring up 
beauty to the world, but not disease. 

Yes, this thought has grown upon me more and 
more. Let us all agree upon this truth. — There is 
no resurreetion of the physical body!" 

Then the people sang — 
"One step at a time and the hight is reached." 
''We will now hear from Mr. Spurgeon, world- 
renowned, and people of the higher spheres now 
recognize him as a worker." 

Maiy looked at me and whispered, "He doesn't 
look emancipated yet;" and I thought so too, by 
what he said. 

"Brethren, I would not cast a note of sadness 
into your day of rejoicing; but are you not going 
too far — very much too far? I cannot approve of 
this course. I deeply deplore it. You knock the 
foundations out. You do not give us a brick to 
stand upon" — 

He was here interrupted by Mr. Beecher, who 
said, "Brother, this meeting is not for discussion, 
or for comment upon other people's views, but it is 
for each one to honestly tell what seems to be a 



13 

mistake in creeds or articles of belief. 

What would you have left out of your old faith?" 
"Well," said he, very slowly, "I do not care to 
commit myself except on one point. I would have 
the idea exploded, that baptism is a saving ordi- 
nance. I thought so there, more than I preached it. 
But since my coming over here I have met several 
very miserable people who said they had laid so much 
stress upon baptism that they had neglected other 
soul requirements, and found an unhappy restless- 
ness about their lives. I would have that stricken 
out. But I protest" — 
Sing— r 

''Hallelujah, t'is done!" 

said Mr. Beecher, 
before he could say any more. 

Rev. John A. Brown was then called upon as a 
representative of, at first a Presbyterian church and 
then a Congregational church. 

"I was willing to take one step that was a little 
more liberal while I was there, by stepping into the 
Congregational church. What would I have strick- 
en out of the old creeds — Foreodination — Election — 
Infant Damnation, or any danger of it — Sinning 
away the day of grace: " he hesitated a little, and 
then said, "the atonement." 

"What have you got left?" asked a dozen voices. 
"My own individuality," said he, "and a free- 
dom from bondage I never felt befere !" 

"Tell the glad tidings, another soul is free." 
rang out on the still air. 

Rev. George B. Olney, Unitarian, shouted Mr. 
Beecher, now thoroughly enthused with the sue- 



14 

cess of the meeting, "What would you have left out 
of your church ideas? 

' 'Not very much left out, only the pride that 
keeps our church from wider fields of education. I 
would have them so strong that when they have a 
Spiritualist for a minister, they would call him by 
his right name: not put clogs in the wayof those ear- 
nest exponants of the idea of communication between 
two worlds, who are willing to sacrifice for it. 'I 
get as good Spiritualism as I want, at the Unitarian 
church,' says one after another, and the moneyed 
ones flock there because of its popularity, while the 
real workers for the • cause, plod along with little 
encouragement. I would have real honesty in any 
religion." 

Rev. E. W. Miner, Universalist, said, "I would 
banish this thought, 'As in Adam all die, so in 
Christ shall all be made alive;' and give the other 
thought, that Adam's little affair, if it occurred, 
could have no influence over us, as it was purely of 
a domestic nature, and as there can be no death, so 
we are made alive to all that is beautiful, by strict 
integrity and a willingness to conquer all things 
through perseverance, and by doing acts of kind- 
ness. 

"Sowing seeds of kindness," was the song. 
A Methodist divine, whose name I did not 
catch, was then called upon. He said, Taking the 
churches all together, he still thought the Metho- 
dist church was the best; but there was one prac- 
tice he objected to, and he was glad to see efforts 
made to remedy it, and that was the itineracy. He 
did not like so much moving among pastors. 



15 

There was a smile upon the whole audience; and 
as we had been there some time, Mr. Beecher con- 
cluded to dismiss the meeting. 

"What an idea!" said Mary, "after all that had 
been said, that was the only thing he could think of 
which he would have different ! I wish Bishop Ha- 
ven had spoken. I saw him laughing as though he 
thought it a huge joke." 

I wondered what had been accomplished; and 
then thought, well, well, that vast audience are the 
workers, and each one has caught some thought 
which will be given to those for whom we labor. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER III. 

Reception given to Emancipators by the 
Emancipated. 

I heard the above announcement but it gave 
me no special feeling of interest. 

"Where is it to be?" inquired my wife. 

"At the great Temple," I responded. "It will 
be a grand meeting if all the Emancipators and 
Emancipated assemble there. I doubt if there is a 
building in the upper spheres, large enough to hold 
them." 

"We can go and see," said she. "Oh ! what a 
strange world this is ! no cooking, yet we are fur- 
nished food — no dress making, yet we are clothed 
in beautiful garments — no hard toil, only that of the 



16 

soul, and still all things go on without interruption. 
"There is rest for the weary," she hummed. 

"Yes, that is so." 

We were in time for the reception. What an 
audience ! A pleasant guide met us at one of the 
many doors and said, "We draw the color line to 
day. All seats in the main auditorium are reserved 
for our colored brothers and sisters. You white 
people can sit in the gallery or in one of the annex- 
es." 

"Let us go up stairs," said my wife. 

Going up stairs means very little of effort com- 
pared to the inconvenience of earthly stairs: so we 
soon found good seats. As yet there was silence. 
We beheld thousands of colored people: no talking 
nor laughing. There was only a look of suppressed 
excitement and expectation upon their faces. The 
large platform was empty. 

When every seat was taken, an unseen organ- 
ist touched the keys of the great organ and it re- 
sponded with such notes of welcome as made the 
heavens echo to the sound. 

"I can think the words which belong to that 
tune," said Mary, "although perhaps they have nev- 
er been written. Its all" 

She was interrupted by the coming upon the 
platform of Harriet Beecher Stowe, leaning upon the 
arm of Frederick Douglass. They were followed 
by Abraham Lincoln, John Brown, Lucretia Mott, 
William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Theo- 
dore Parker and numbers of others whose names I 
must omit for want of space. 

Silently, yet simultaneously every man and wo- 



17 

man had risen to their feet, and the heads of the 
colored people were bowed in prayer and silent 
blessing. Then as with one accord, they sang, 
"Blest be the tie that binds 

Our hearts in heavenly love.", 

Frederick Douglas then arose and in part, said 
''We are met here to-day to do honor to our eman- 
cipators. This acquisition to our number may have 
inspired the earlier convening of this vast assem- 
bly. My brothers and sisters, look upon the face of 
one whose pen aroused a great nation to thinking 
in our behalf, and welcome Harriet Beecher Stowe 
as the leading emancipator of our race. 

Without her work, the fire of emancipation 
would not have so soon been kindled — without her 
sacrifice of time for writing, the message to the 
world would never have been given — without her 
courageous spirit which braved church, state and 
nation, there would have been long delay in seal- 
ing forth word pictures of what it was to be a slave. 
Uncle Tom's Cabin entered the libraries of the rich 
in crowded cities — it found a place in the farm home 
— it lay upon the chair of the cottage of the poor — 
it awakened kings, queens and emperors to the 
thought of slavery as it found expression in the 
so called 'land of the free' — it entered the homes of 
slave owners, and when read, was hidden from view. 

'Trouble will come to us from this book,' said 
hundreds of southern statesman. A premonition of 
future disaster in consequence of their human chat- 
tels seemed to be the prevailing opinion. 

Yet redemption was a long time coming. It 
came at last, in ways we will consider later. Will 
you say a few words, Mrs. Stowe?" 



18 

That noble woman, whom all must honor, sim- 
ple in her bearing, with her strong, brave and now 
beautiful face, illuminated with heavenly light, 
looked up to the higher spheres and said, "Not mine 
the work, but thine, Oh ! heavenly messengers of 
peace and freedom ! My brothers and my sisters, 
''Uncle Tom's Cabin" was a partnership creation. I 
gave my time, my fullest sympathy: I made a study 
of southern scenes and character, and yet I could 
never have put the spirit into the book which still 
lives, if I had not been dominated by a superior 
power. My characters talked for themselves, they 
dominated me: thank God, these strange evangels 
have done a portion of the great work. 

But had there been none to take up the dropped 
threads, had there been no Garrison, no Phillips^ 
no Parker, no John Brown, no Lincoln — had there 
been none of these to light the flame of freedom for 
the slave, my work would have been unfinished in 
that direction, when I came over here. 

All honor to the multitudes who sacrificed 
home, friends, life, even, for the fulfillment of the 
prophesies of thousands of spirits from this realm, 
and who helped along the cause of our dark-browed 
brothers and sisters. But I am not here to talk,*' 
said she, smiling, "I will let the others of my family 
do the talking," glancing toward her brothers, who 
were upon the platform. "I worked more with the 
pen. I have a loved sister* in earth life, who should 
talk more," she added in her quiet way, u and I hope 
she will improve the time left." 

Shout after shout of "Bless God, Glory to God," 
and kindred exclamations were uttered as she took 
her seat. 



* Isabella Beecher Hooker 



19 

Frederick Douglas continued, "I would like to 
tell you something of Mrs. Stowe's entrance into this 
life. For days we had watched her, even though 
her earth friends at that time, did not realize how 
near she might be to this side of life. Had she been 
fully conscious of it herself, she would have said 
with the poet — 

"I know I am nearing the heavenly ranks 
Of friends and kindred dear, 
For I brushed the dew on Jordan's banks, 
The crossing must be near." 
How eagerly we watched her in these last months 
and up to the time of her coming. How the freed- 
men and women gathered around, and asked, "Will 
it be in a few hours or will it be days before she 
comes to us ? " 

Though the end was like the ceasing of a leaf 
to respond to the gentle breath of summer, yet to 
thousands of these waiting ones of every hue and 
from every clime, it was a call to duty — to make the 
first hours of her spirit life here, a revelation of 
power ! Seeing her own dear relatives, passing close 
around her, and then the multitudes of enfran- 
chised ones waiting in a silence that made silence 
eloquent, she smiled and said, " Thank God, they do 
remember me!" 

Still, midst our rejoicing, I know there is sor- 
row in earth life, for it is something to lose from 
any hearth-stone, from an}?- community, such a strong 
self-poised character as that of our sister. Yet 
she was always kind. There was sweetness in every 
letter she wrote. The kindness with which she 
treated everybody, made her life a fragrance, and 



20 

leaving earth life, a personal sorrow to hundreds. 

I think that human love always stands, bewil- 
dered between its own sense of loss and the glory 
into which its loved ones have gone. 

The power of all appreciation is, I think, large- 
ly due to the power for comparison ; and if we can 
only send to the people of earth, our heavenly mes- 
sages, with such strength as will show them clearly, 
the difference between the earthly mist and the 
heavenly glory, I think all will soon learn that 
mourning is selfishness. 

Harriet Beecher Stowe's life here is the life of 
a worker, who has hardly time for rest. Her broth- 
er, Henry said to her, 'Get acquainted with heaven, 
Harriet, and choose your work later on,' and she is 
tr} r ing to follow his advice." 

After a song, I was very much pleased with the 
course taken. Mr. Douglas said, "Now, friends, 
brothers and sisters, we do not want great speeches, 
but honest ones from your lips, and very short ones, 
we have no time to waste." 

No. 1, a colored man rose and said, "My know- 
in' far suah 'bout her was like gettin ligin fore one's 
red de Bible. I had my freedom fore I red dat 
udder Bible for us, cullard fo'ks, 'Uncle Tom's Cab- 
in.' " 

No. 2, a colored woman said, "I hav a 'quest to 
make to de bressed Missus, will she sumwhar in dis 
hebenly kingdom jes let me tech de finger ob little 
Miss Eva? I said, suah I'd find her in heben, but 
I dun cant yit. Bress de Lawd, tho Fse foun yo.' ' 

No. 3 said, Missy Sto' we's got inter a new- 
place ter see you; neber cum heyar fore, ony wunce, 



21 

dat time wus ter see Massa Linkum. Are yo* dun 
suar Uncle Tom is roun heyar sumwhar? I'd like 
kiss de stripes dat waked de pity in yo' hart an 
helped ter make us free. An if all de rest ob de 
wurld had bin do 'count fo'ks, de Lawd would hab 
made a heben jes fer yo' an Maasa Linkum an Massa 
Brown an all demgood brudders, I gess." 

No. 4 said, u Glory ter Gawd; Uncle Tom's 
stripes all lef on de ole body, an we got free by an- 
udder's stripes — de good Book sa so. Now, Missy, 
is it wickud fer us, poor cullurd fo'ks ter wish we 
find dat ole Lergree an gib him sum stripes? Low, 
ornary fellar; he 'serves em." 

"He has got the stripes, all the Legrees have, 
my brother,'' said Mr. Douglas, rising. He then 
called upon a man with a very black face, who 
rose and made one of the most impassioned speeches 
of the day. Others followed in quick succession un- 
til Mr. Douglas introduced Abraham Lincoln. 

Great shouts of welcome went up. Mr. Lin- 
coln bowed as though not intending to make a 
speech, and turned to take his seat; but he was not 
allowed to take it. He was compelled to say a few 
words. "When the warp and woof of a great fabric 
is placed in the hands of one holding a sacred trust, 
could he do aught else than to set the great loom in 
motion to complete the fabric. That was my posi- 
tion. I turned the wheel which set the machinery 
in motion. It was with doubts and misgivings, 
yet the wheels went round. There is no credit due to 
me, only as one of the spokes in the great wheel of 
emancipation. 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was the hub, for 
it opened eyes and gave power. God bless you all/' 



22 

John Brown said, his work, looking from his 
present stand point, was ill advised, but still it was 
all he knew how to do then. He hoped his work for 
humanity in other lines of enfranchisement, would 
be of a more healthy kind. 

"Yours was good 'nuff, good 'nuff," shouted 
the crowd." 

Lucretia Mott, on being introduced, said she 
believed it was her strict sense of justice, which 
gave her the desire to work in the cause of the slave . 
"I was not cumbered by creeds, I did not know 
there was any certainty of life after death of the 
body, but I concluded, short or long, every creature 
deserved the best to be obtained from life." 

"Theodore Parker said his life could not have 
been more enthused in any cause than that of the 
slave, but he still deplored the great sacrifice, which 
might, he believed, have been avoided. 

Wendell Phillips said, "the old doctrine of 
'whatever is, is right,' applied to this as well as to 
any cause — that it was to be. American soil was 
to receive the blood of the slain, to show that prin- 
ciple was above all other interests — that he hoped 
the time of such dire necessities was past. It is idle 
to talk about buying those millions of slaves. It 
could not have been done. A nation's money was 
not meant to be used to cater to a wrong so deep- 
dyed as human slavery! and thus make a whole na- 
tion a party to the thought of buying up immortal 
beings ! To-day every drop of blood, shed for the 
freedom of a country from this thralldom, is doubly 
blessed." 



23 

Garrison said, people always know how to doc- 
tor a patient after the patient is dead. Those who 
would have freed the slaves without bloodshed, 
would have been central figures in the world of 
men and women. I do not like, my brothers and 
sisters, to think back to slavery, but I rather think 
of present freedom and future possibilities. Edu- 
cate them, help them now and let vain regrets be 
buried in the grave of the past. 

Mr. Douglass said, there were many people he 
would like to call upon, but it would be impossible, 
as the Temple would soon be used for another and 
a different gathering. "My heart is full of gladness 
at this expression of love aud sympathy which has 
been extended to our Emancipators. It is well 
known that the purpose of this meetiug is to bring 
Mrs. Stowe more personally before the public; for 
she is still working. The Beecher family can't stop; 
they will find work which will soon make the up- 
per spheres more delightful for their coming; and so 
should we all be glad." 

After a farewell song we went home; Mary say- 
ing, regretfully. "I wish I £had done something in 
earth life that would be as well remembered as has 
been the work of Mrs. Stowe." 

4 'Be content, dear, your work was not without 
results, and results grow as heaven expands." 

"Bless all the workers," said she. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER IV. 

An Interview with Jay Gould. 

"I am going to see Jay Gould this morning," I 
said to Mary, " and hear what he will say, now that 
he has been here long enough to understand the 
difference between the two realms." 

Mary said, "Very likely he wont say anything to 
you except rail-road bonds and stocks and such things. 
I cannot imagine how any one, so deeply immersed 
in money making, can have any intelligent ideas of 
this spiritual life. I do not think I will go with you." 

We can go with almost lightning speed if there 
is need of it, but heaven would be robbed of its 
beauty and pleasure if we could not stroll along as 
we did in the old life, drinking in its beauty, and 
in that way, from the very fullness of our souls, en- 
joying that which the Infinite has spread out for 
our pleasure. Thus when life is overflowing with 
the rapture of living, we feel what it is to praise 
God. 

I went across the green of a beautiful park. No 
signs, "Keep off the grass" were there; for we are 
free to go as we will. Children were playing there, 
rolling nearly up to a fountain which sent its silver 
spray out over the grass; then rolling back in a 
great hurry, to get "out of the wet." The grass 
bent down under their light bodies, but the recu- 
perative power of all things here is so great, that 
nothing can be destroyed — the life principle in all 
things is beyond the hand of the destroyer. 



25 

A group of litle folks was gathered around one 
of the seats upon which was seated a wise little 
maiden, who was telling a wonderful secret to them. 
• l My Mamma is coming up here. My dear little 
baby brother came as soon as he was born ; and now 
Grandma says, Mamma is coming to take care of the 
baby : and I must be real good to her, so she wont 
worry about Papa and brother Henry. I shouldn't 
think she would do that. Great big men can take 
care of themselves, and Henry is most as tall as 
Papa." 

"I've got a nice little verse which I am prac- 
ticing on. I made it all myself; and I think its beau- 
tiful : and I am speaking it to Mamma every time 
they let me go to her : but she don't hear me yet. 
When she gets her new ears she will hear me. Its 
this ;" and the sweet voice of the child sounded loud 
and musical in the clear air; — 

"Dear Mamma, come to my home with me, 

You are tired of waiting, I know, 
And baby, he needs you so awfully bad, 
For Grandma, she says it is so. 

Dont you think that is pretty?" 

"Yes, yes," said several voices, but one thought- 
ful girl timidly suggested that she thought some 
other word in a poem from heaven, than 'awfully' 
would sound better." 

"Well, I can't help it, when it sounds just true 
to me, and Mamma will know what it means : I 
think it is just as well," said the decided little Miss. 
"You are so 'ticular, I guess you was 'bornded' in 
heaven." 



26 

"No, I wa'nt either, but I like things nice." 
So you see that children here have their differ- 
ences in opinion as well as in earth life. 

Further along, I saw a group of young women- 
students in Botany. 

"I cannot recall what family this flower belongs 
to," said one girl, puckering up her brows in her 
effort to think. She held in her hand a rare speci- 
men whose name I did not know even after quite a 
sojourn here. 

"You will find as I have found, child/' said a 
grave-looking woman, who had joined the group, 
"that earthly Botany will not fit heavenly flowers. 
Become familiar with our higher lessons and a heav- 
en of beauty will open unto you." 

Still farther on, a sour-visaged man joined a 
group of men who were discussing some pleasant 
subject, evidently by their looks, and asked, "Can 
you direct me to a place where I can enter a com- 
plaint ? I have been kept awake by loud singing 
and it is an infringement on the rights of another 
for such conduct to be allowed. I have not seen a 
policeman since my arrival." 

"The few policemen here, wear citizen's clothes," 
was the answer, "and they may be among the singers 
who disturbed you." 

Another of the party took the hand of the puz- 
zled man and said, "You have come to a land of 
song and rejoicing. Strive to attune your heart to 
this music, which falls upon my ears like a bene- 
diction from the Infinite," 

Grumbling in Heaven, I mused as I passed along. 



27 

I soon reached the home of Jay Gould, and 
found him willing to receive me. Everything in 
his surroundings, was simple, yet beautiful. 

When he learned the purport of my visit, he 
said, "Do you think they really do get the knowl- 
edge you try to impart to them ? Do they of earth 
really believe it? I have tried so often to commu- 
nicate to my own children, but my own doubt and 
their lack of knowledge upon these questions, have 
blocked the way and I do not know how much 
ready-found room is in their hearts." 

"Will you tell the story of your life since you 
came here ?" I asked. 

"Oh! no, I cannot : it would take too many 
chapters of your book. I will just give you a glimpse 
of my life here. I had no really substantial views 
of what this life would be before I came. I was so 
hurried, I had no time for study upon this subject. 
I wanted to accumulate property. It became a ma- 
nia with me, so I came over here like a child, with 
all of my wealth left behind. And when the little 
step from that life to this was taken, when I awoke 
to the full knowledge that I was really what the 
world calls dead, I was surprised, yet in a way, 
pained. My desires carried me back to the earth. 
I wanted to see how affairs were getting on. I saw 
in my will that which I wanted changed, for I had 
no moral right to put one child in the power of the 
other children. I saw things neglected which need- 
ed attention, but I could not make them hear one 
word of advice. 



28 

At last a longing desire came to me to know 
what the world said of me, and I listened to some of 
the notices as read from earthly papers. They all 
spoke of my wonderful business qualifications — of 
ury extreme good fortune in turning everything in- 
to money — of how rich I had left my children, but 
not any thought of what good I had tried to do. 
Mr. Bowles, 1 was hurt a little, for I was not all sel- 
fishness. I had never heralded my gifts : I had rath- 
er told the recipients to say nothing about their 
gifts. I had not given largely to religious organi- 
zations, for I had not much sympathy for them, but 
if you look around this upper country, you will see 
those who will bless Jay Gould for what he did for 
them, and in earth life I can point to homes that I 
helped to build for the poor. I do not say this in 
praise of myself, only in justification of myself. T 
would not want the world to believe that the foun- 
tain of goodness was entirely dried up in my nature, 
for it was not so. But I can see now where I erred." 
I did not enter enough into the spirit of reform 
and charity. While preoccupied with other sub- 
jects which seemed of such great importance, I did 
not stop to study into public needs and public ques- 
tons, save as they related to finance, and thus I crip- 
pled my soul. I can raise my voice with you, Mr. 
Bowles, against monopolies. I see the bearing they 
have upon the world at large. Oh ! if men could 
only know how to get rich in a way that riches 
would last, I should be glad. When I first came 
here, I .was so eager to learn. 1 wanted to go back 
to earth life, and when I was attracted to scenes 



29 

which harrowed my heart, or listened to stories of 
wretchedness such as I never dreamed existed, I 
would raise my voice and say, 'I will give,' but when I 
would name the sum, I found I had nothing to give — 
empty pockets — I went over the old ground from 
New York to Missouri. I looked at agents who had 
been long in my employ. I tried to impress them 
with their carelessness, but they would not listen. 

I went to my own. I saw sorrow there, but 
still I could not at that time reach them so that 
they would in the least fulfil even mechanically 
my desires. 

But as the years have passed, a baud of us 
have touched the brain of one of my children and 
we have helped to make her life beautiful in the ex- 
treme : and I know, Mr. Bowles, she is doing good . 
Her heart is beating for humanity. Her work is so 
well chosen and effective. 'My precious Helen,' he 
continued, musingly, 'what may I not hope from 
you !' And then I will reach the others : Oh ! they 
do not realize the life of sacrifice I lived to accumu- 
late that monej^ which is going out of their hands so 
easily. They do not know the power from this side 
which was felt by me. I did not know it then, but 
now I find I had those about me whose accumula- 
ting spirit made me think far more of wealth than T 
otherwise should. As I think it over now, I see 
that at times, instead of the money, it was more a de- 
sire to keep things moving — to turn the key of busi- 
ness life and see its vast machinery set in motion — 
to feel the heart beats of the great mass of men who 



30 

worked from early morn till weary night to bring 

in something for me. 

Oh ! that life was full of varying moods, but 
still surrounding all was a dogged determination 
to conquer fate — to stand at the head of the world 
of finance — to wield supreme power in that realm. 

How worse than idle were my ambitions ? The 
Reaper came before the grain was ripe, and with 
my life unripened by the holiest of earthly experi- 
ences, I am here to finish up." 

"How do you spend your time ? " 

"Well, much of it with Helen. I can reach her 
best. I hope to do by proxy what I never did my- 
self. And then with my boys — I want to watch 
yet about the leaks," he said, with a twinkle in his 
eye. "I hav'nt got over that yet. I also go around 
among my old friends and try to wake them up ; but 
sometimes I fail of even making them think of me. 
I am trying to put the commercial part of life away 
from me, but its hard work. 

I aim to reach earth life now from a soul stand- 
point. That is hard work too ; bnt I shall work my 
way along. 

Helen was very much impressed by Moody's 
sermons. I hope she wont get into that rut. Where 
am I if what he says is true ? 

Well I thank you for coming, but f have an 
appointment at this time in the the cit} r ." 

"Business," I asked. 

"Forgive me," he said, "aud stay as long as you 
can. It was the force of habit that made me say 
that." 



31 

I soon said good by, and went home. I told 
my wife all about it. and she said, "Oh ! how mis- 
taken we can be in mortals ? 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER V. 
Obstacles to the Development oe the In- 
habitants oe this Life of the Spirit. 
"What are you going to write about now, Sam- 
uel," said Mary as she closely watched my method 
of controlling this medium. 

"Can't you see what I have written as a heading, 
Mary ?" 

"No, I can't, [ expect I never shall be very wise. 
I see some things I do not want to see, and now, 
when I see by this wonderfully strange process, 
that you are effecting the hand so it will write in 
the old world, I can only see the dark marks but 
not the words." 

She has gone away now, fearing she will dis- 
turb me. If you of that life knew how hard it is to 
give you intelligent thought, how many of our pro- 
cesses for its transmission are the result of years of 
careful study by our best scientific spirits, you 
would be less harsh in your judgment. 

Our thoughts which we would impart are often 
so emasculated in the transmission, that they be- 
come as trivial as those of an unlettered tyro in 
comparison to those of the careful student. Our 
pictures, painted by the hand of an unseen ar- 
tist touching the hand of an earthly artist, are in 



32 

comparison to our work in this sphere like the 
wood cuts of a third-class newspaper, to the care- 
ful creation of an artist who has studied long years 
in sunny Italy and drawn inspiration from the 
grandeur of the Alps. 

I have recently met a Mrs. Blair who used to 
paint flower pieces while in earth life, when blind- 
folded, and that too with only one hand. The col- 
ors were placed separately upon her palette, yet 
she always selected or made the right shades, and did 
work which was called marvellous, and so it was in 
the way it was done. 

" How do you feel about your work since you 
have come to this side?" 

"Disappointed," said she, "though I do not 
like to say it, T have said it to the one who was my 
faithful guide, and we quite agree now: but at 
first it was hard for my guide to understand that 
what I had left behind was not true art. She had 
great power over my hand in selection of colors and 
never made a mistake; yet the groupings were 
wrong and the shading often very imperfect. But 
that was not the worst defect : there were but few 
leaves or buds, right in their proportions — the most 
of them being too wide for the length, and thus the 
whole picture looked inharmonious. 

Had my guide educated herself in art, or at 
least accepted the opportunity offered to advance to 
a higher degree of skill before using her power to 
control, it would have been much better. I regret 
to say that even now, although she acknowledges 
her imperfection, she is developing another me- 
dium in earth life to give to the world the same 



33 
kind of defective work, and in that way, continue 
to increase the impression that the denizens of this 
life are not advancing as is claimed by the expo- 
nents of truth in earth life." 

Immature Mediumship. 

"What do you consider to be the most serious 
consequences resulting from the public exercise of 
immature mediumship." 

"It is a great impediment to the progress of the 
individual spirit here. The people of earth will get 
over the shock at the inartistic work, and will say 
'that's more of human work than of spiritual,' but 
the guide who is striving to be a teacher when she 
herself is untaught, will miss for a long time the joy 
of a true artist of the spirit realm." 

'Are you satisfied with none of the work done?" 

"Well, there are a few I have seen with my 
spiritual eyes which have some merit, but very few. 
I may not have noticed them all. They are in every 
state and beyond the far seas. 

But now I want to know Art. I have two 
hands now and am learning the fairy touch the 
Masters teach. Come to our studio, Mr. Bowles, 
bring your wife and see the pictures from the hands 
of true artists. It is the large, low building on Mag- 
nolia Avenue." 

I pondered somewhat whether my desire to 
greet the earth world with imperfectly expressed 
thoughts might not be classed as an obstacle to my 
rapid development. "An honest man must criticise 
himself" said I ; but nevertheless my zeal leads me 
still farther on, even in an imperfect way. 



34 

Then I began a further search for the obstacles 
to development in spirit life, and found that the 
root of it all had begun in earth life. 
The two Brothers. 

I had for a long while been attracted to a sad 
looking man, who seldom spoke to any one, always 
seeming to be in a deep study . u My friend," I 
said to him, one morning, "I never see you around 
among the investigators after truths in this life. 
May I ask where you find your purest enjoyment ? " 

"I do not find much that deserves even the 
name of enjoyment," replied he. fc T have never 
sought to rise. My work has been on the earth plane, 
and miserable work it has been, too," continued he. 

u Will you tell me your story?" 
A look of cunning came into his eyes, and he 
said, "What will you do if I tell it to you ?" 

"I'll do you no harm, and it may help others," 
I responded. 

"Well," said he, "as they count time on earth, 
I have been in this life about seventy five years. 
When I passed away from earth, there was mourn- 
ing. I was rich, and tried to be good to the tenant- 
ry in my possession. The world said I was fortu- 
nate to inherit the fortune which should have gone 
to my brother, but that brother was accused of 
murder. He would have been hung if he had not 
escaped from prison, (I knew how) and fled to 
America. I soon came into possession of my estates 
by the transition of my father, and I sent my broth- 
er, under an assumed name, money to help him 
along. He was a coward, poor boy, all the way 
through. His wife married under an assumed name ; 



35 

his children were born under a wrong name, and 
this wrong name is now an honored one in the great 
state of New York, U. S. :> A. 

That which gnawed at my heart there and 
shadowed me — that which is making of me a haunt- 
ing shadow in the earth Jife, is this : I could have 
given positive proof that mj 7 brother was innocent, 
for I knew it. He did not know that I knew it. It 
would have brought out before the public, an early 
indiscretion of mine, if I had told, and I reasoned in 
this way. 'I am better fitted for the position than 
is my brother. I can dignify it. I will support him. 
He shall fare well, (but he did not) and it is best 
as it is,' 

He mourned my passing out as the last link in 
the chain which connected him with his old life in 
England, and went on, meekly mute, through daily 
toil until release came to him. When I saw the end 
was near, I was with him. Mother and father were 
there too, and a beautiful sister who passed to spirit 
life in infancy. 

Mother's eyes seemed to reprove me and to say 
You here ! here by your wronged brother' s death- 
bed ! and my beautiful sister touched me pityingly. 

At last, he came. He saw me first. 
" I knew you would meet meet me, brother ; you 
have been so kind to your forsaken brother. I'm 
glad you meet me. " 

He then recognized the rest of the family, and 
said, "Is there room for an innocent man to stand 
straight here ?" 

I said, "Yes, brother, yes," 

"He turned and looked into my soul ! My guilt 
showed in my face. 



36 

"Oh! can it be you knew, George and wronged 
me all these years? Say you did not, I cannot bear 
it." 

He cannot say he might not have prevented all 
your suffering, Charles. He is guilty, very guilty 
and does not desire to rise above it," said one. 

Then mother said, "Don't say that ; you know 
how hard he is trying to correct the wrong." 

"What have his efforts been ? merely as 'straws 
in the wind,' — that is all." 

After that they came to me with my wife and 
children and begged of me to give up this vain ef- 
fort to enlighten those who do not know that their 
ancestors were defrauded — -to inform them if possi- 
ble how to obtain that which should have been 
theirs — -or more hopeless still, to attempt to inspire 
my descendents to give up the property which never 
really belonged to them. 

"Are you not going to adopt the advice of 
3 T our friends ?" I asked. 

He shook his head and said, "Not yet. There 
are some new mediums developing in earth life, 
whom I must watch. I may be able to control one 
of them and give evidence." 

When I thought of this obstacle to the devel- 
opment of this poor brother, I wondered if it might 
not be one of the hindrances to the right under- 
standing of spiritual truths. Then I thought how 
those connected with different branches of the fam- 
ily (for he says it is now large) might receive mes- 
sages from this side, informing them that they were 
heirs to property in England, and thus awaken a 



37 
desire for wealth, onl} r to be disappointed upoo in- 
quiry. I've wondered how long this impractical 
idea would dominate him. 

All those whom he directly wronged are now 
in spirit life, and have forgiven him, but he cannot 
forgive himself. This is slow Hell! I thought as I 
bade him good bye. 

Another obstacle I find to the rapid develop- 
ment of the spirit, is 

'•Knowledge in one line in earth life taken 
as the only criterion of knowledge here." 
In my rambles, I have met a great student of 
the law, who talks about it to men, women and 
children — who says, "I was called proficient in earth 
life. What would my colleagues think of me, now 
that I have mastered the difficulties which besieged 
me there ?" 

44 What are you doing with your knowledge ?" 
I asked him, after he had refused to become interest- 
ed in any of the beauties of spirit life, or to respond 
to any of the needs of earth life. 

Oh ! I'm storing up, storing up, all of the time. 
I don't intend any one to get ahead of me." 

He could not give me any intelligent answer as 
to his plans. He did not desire to use his gift of great 
wisdom, on earth, and there were no law suits in 
heaven. The quandary is, how man} r hundred 
years will he continue to be true to his 'calling.' 

"Let him alone," said my wife, "Law is his 
heaven, and all the heaven he wants." 

But my opinion is, that study and ambition had 
burdened his brain there, and his thought during 
his life here had not rebounded from the pressure. 



38 

I might write indefinitely of obstacles to de- 
velopment in spirit life. Those given above are 
comparatively innocent beside the terrible ones, 
which have come under my observation. For there 
are stories as cruel as the grave, to an undisciplined 
soul, which meet me on every hand. I do not fully 
understand the import of all of them, but I under- 
stand enough to make me desire to speak in thun- 
der tones to. those who are in earth life, to lay down 
all idols, for you will find them to be clay. Break 
all conditions of habit, whether of body or mind 
which will serve as a hindrance to rapid progress in 
spirit life. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER VI. 

Interesting .Scenes Witnessed at Spirit Birth. 

My wife said to me one day, as we were looking 
out upon varied scenery from the porch of our home, 
"Samuel, can people grow selfish in heaven ?" 

I was startled by her question, and answered, 
"Why, no, how can they ?" 

"I'll tell you," continued she. "To you and me 
and millions of others, the question is settled. We 
cannot die. The law is understood ; but there are 
this instant, thousands of people, dying as the world 
calls it, and we don't go to any of them, to watch 
and help if we can. Henry* says he finds it one of 
the sweetest labors he can perform, to be a real help- 
er to the arisen spirits, and in the death scenes too, he 
says he has made great changes in the feelings of 
the mourners, and helped to quiet the grief that 
is so frequent in bereavements. He has made a 
study of it. 

*Henry Alexander, a brother-in law of Mr. Bowles. 



39 

Don't you think, Samuel, that we could spare 
some time and learn how it is done and then devote 
part of our time to the work. Who knows who 
next of those we love will come over, and we want to 
reach them with no uncertain help." 

Well, women on both sides of the line of the 
two worlds are famous for changing man's plans. 
I was at that time greatly interested in the issue, 
pending in your Republic there. I was watching 
the pulse beats of politics, trying to feel that cor- 
ruption was now a myth, and that statesmanship 
had reached a much higher condition since my 
transition ; but I listened to her words and said, 
u Yes, I suppose I can go, but such scenes have al- 
ways been very distasteful to me, Mary, and I do 
not know that we can do any good." 

"We will do good, " replied she ; "we will help 
those whom they know and love to come nearer to 
them, so they will not feel so much alone." 

"Just then Henry called in and said, "There is a 
young mother to whom I have been attracted 
who will soon need some one to comfort her. She is 
one of the bread-winners of life. Her husband is in 
a drunken sleep ; she has given an overdose of some 
vile compound to her child to keep it asleep, while 
she goes on with the washing." 

Transition of a child. 

As quickly as thought, almost, we were there. 
Oh ! what a home it was ! One room and a bed 
room ; but although the washing was being done 
in one corner, everything about the poorly furnished 
room was very clean. The table was set for three. 
At one place was a little plate with a spoon on it, 
a tin cup at the side and a high chair drawn up to 



40 

the table. The other two plates were for the drunk- 
en husband when he should wake up and for the 
weary wife. 

In the bedroom on a poor bed, was the drunken 
man. We looked at him with a strange fascination, 
the high, broad forehead, the clustering brown 
curls, and then the lower part of the face, giving 
a lie to the upper part — for it was bloated and dis- 
figured by drink. The hands were delicate and 
looked unused to hard work. An open account 
book with amounts partly figured up, showed he had 
last tried to do something for a butcher in straight- 
ening out his accounts. 

Henry was beside the child — a golden-haired 
little one, possibly two and one-half years old. "She 
is sinking fast ! O, can't you influence that mother 
to come here ? Mary went to her, and her voice 
sounded shrill to me as she implored the mother to 
come to the child. At last, as though startled by 
some sound, the mother wiped her hands on her 
apron and tip-toed into the bed room. Bending low 
over the crib to kiss her child, she noticed the strange 
pallor, the quick, short breathing, and she perceived 
there was danger for her child. 

"George ! George ! " called she ; "get up ! Nellie's 
dying, Nellie's dying ! and she shook him vigorous- 

iy. 

"Le'me be," said he ; but by persevering, she 
at last awakened him. 

"What's the matter, can't you let me sleep. I've 
got the headache." 

"Oh ! George, baby's dying ! I know she is. 
Get a doctor, do." 



41 

Thoroughly awakened now, he started for the 
doctor, and though he lived near, the mother was 
destined to be alone with her dying child. 

Oh i the heart aches -and the agony expressed 
by that young mother! "Oh ! I've killed my baby 3 
I know I have, I know I have!" 

The eyelids quivered a. id lifted for &n instant, 
but oh ! the wonder expressed in them, as the child 
saw the waiting friends, and a smile as sweet as the 
the rosy dawn beamed over her face and rested 
there after the frozen silence of death had placed his 
seal, 

"Take this child," said Henry to a woman who, 
though a dweller in spirit life, still wore her look of 
pride, "take this child ; it is your duty : she will help 
you in heaven." 

At first, the grandmother rebelled and said, 
*'Ho\v can I do it? This child is the fruit of diso- 
bedience. I told my daughter, her marriage would 
separate us on earth and in heaven ; and here I am, 
holding close to my heart, the child of that de- 
bauched specimen of humanity." "It is your daugh- 
ter's child, " said Henry ; "the same blood runs in its 
veins as did in yours. It is a part of your life. It 
will comfort you and make peace between you and 
your lonely child on earth." 

The little child was constantly trying to reach 
her mother, crying out in sharp, childish accents, 
striving to get the body which had been hers, out of 
her mother's arms so she could take its place. 

The husband and the doctor had now returned. 
In cold tones, the doctor inquired, "What did you 
give the child." 



42 

"Some of this," said the mother. "We took it 
years ago for bowel trouble and baby had not slept 
any, so I thought I could check the trouble and 
make her &leep too." 

"You have given a double dose,'' said the doc- 
tor, when she told how much she had given. 

"No, no, its the same amount they gave my lit- 
tle brother, and it helped him. I distinctly remem- 
ber it, for I gave him the medicine myself and that 
was years ago." 

"The medicine has dried down to twice its 
old strength. I hardly know how to make out 
the certificate of death," mused the doctor, as he 
passed out. 

Neighbors were called in and the now sobered 
man was trying to aid all he could about the house, 
and the distracted mother was looking through the 
scanty wardrobe of the child to find something to 
clothe the body, when we left. 

''Where is the child, now," I asked, as grand- 
mother and child had disappeared. 

"The child will do its work, " said Henry : "she 
is now surprising that cold, proud woman, by mak- 
ing her feel she has not entirely left her daughter 
out of her life.'* 

"But was it fair to allow that child to be sacri- 
ficed to reconcile any one ? Is it right." 

"I do not know" said Henry, "but I do know 
the result will be for the betterment of all." 

When we went home, we talked it over, but 
could come to no conclusion. 
Transition of the Italian. A touching scene. 

Some days after, Henry again desired us to vis- 



43 

it a death bed scene. What a touching scene ! The 
faithful little woman, who was bustling around to 
get together their few belongings to pack up, would 
still keep casting her fond eyes toward her husband, 
who was reclining on a bedstead, over the slats of 
which was thrown an old blanket. 

"Rest all you can, sleep if you can— the dray 
will take you with the boxes to the depot and then 
beloved, we will start for Italy : and when you are 
there, the soft sea air will work wonders, and you 
will smell the grapes in the vineyards and see your 
mother and the children, and we will go to our own 
little children's graves and make the flowers grow 
again. We will never leave Italy again, when we 
get there, will we ? " 

"Italy never changes," said the sick man "but 
I feel so strangely, that the journey will be so quick." 

"And so it will, my darling, for the good ship 
will not crawl like the one we came over in. It will 
go as though it had wings and we hardly know we 
have started, when we will be there." 

The poor soul did not understand that his voy- 
age would be quick, or what was this strange rest- 
lessness of her husband, which preceded dissolution. 
She was untaught in everything save the logic of 
obedience and the philosophy of patience. 

"We will talk all the English we can, and teach 
them how to talk it,when we get home, won't we ?" 

"When we get home," echoed the dying man. 
"Beyond the mountains and the sea, Italy." mur- 
mured the man. 

The woman went up to him to change the old 
shawl under his head, that he might rest more com- 



44 

fortably. But the face she touched was wet with 
the dews of death. Without "wings or footfall" he 
had reached Italy, which lieth beyond the "Alpine 
highths of great pain.' 1 

"Did you see the children hearing him away ?" 
"Yes, beautiful, beautiful children f ' 

"Where did he go ?" said Mary. 
"To Italy, " said Henry, "it will be his home for 
a little while." 

"'Our work is with the bereaved one, " said Hen- 
ry ; and then, gently as a mother sooths her child to 
sleep, he helped her spirit friends, who talked in a 
foreign language, to calm the bereaved one. 

"Oh! he said this morning twice, be would soon 
be well, and I have worked so hard to get him 
home. " 

"Did you not know that people never get well 
of consumption, when it has gone as far as in his 
ease ? " asked a kindly neighbor. 

"No! no I no ! Did you know he must die and 
never tell one word ? " said she. 

It was sometime before she would consent to 
bury the body on this side of the Atlantic j and 
when she did consent, she said, "The last words he 
said were about Italy. I'll go there to meet him. " 

"Poor soul, " said Marj^ ; "how much of sorrow 
there is in that beautiful world : but I do wish to 
find that spirit, sometime, who preferred Italy to 
heaven. 

Transition op a Church Devotee. 
The next visit was to a woman, well known in 
church and in religious circles, who was passing out. 



45 

"She cannot need us, " Mary said, "for hers 
was a life so strict that no one around dare utter a 
worldly sentence. " 

"We will be beside her just the same, at the re- 
quest of her daughter in spirit life." 

The low voice of the kneeling clergyman sound- 
ed deep and solemn through the still room. "Though 
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I 
will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod 
and Thy staff, they comfort me," and "There shall 
be no night there." 

"No night, "echoed the dying woman, "but its 
dark now. Why does not my Savior appear?" 

Her eyes were wide open, trying to see. "Oh 
no ! no ! there's people here, those I know, some of 
our folks. Oh ! it must be a delusion ! a delusion ! 
I am looking for the Divine face. Come to me, oh ! 
*Thou who died for me.' The clock ticks so loud 
I cannot hear His voice. Oh! take the delusion 
away from me, Oh! Lord ! Do not let me be delud- 
ed at the last ! I think I see my daughter !" 

"Quiet your mother," said Henry to the girh 
"Now speak, her spirit ears are opened." 

"Mother, it is I, " said the girl distinctly. 
"It is my child ! " The lips parted in a smile. One 
moment with the child she knew, had conquered 
the prejudices of years. 

Mary and I were strongly affected by this scene* 
"Can we learn to do that?" said Mary. "Can I 
make my own see me when they are coming over? " 

"We will try, " I answered. 

Later on we saw that mother and daughter* 
The mother was still calling for the sights she had 



46 

been taught to expect — for the golden streets and 
God upon His throne. "I am not in Heaven, " said 
she. "After all, I fear I have not been redeemed. 
Am I among the saved? " said she, pleadingly. "It 
is so human here. I cannot believe it is well with 
my soul. " 

Henry accompanied us for a few moments and 
said, "Such cases as the one you have last witnessed 
are very frequent. Sometimes I think that the 
Cause which opens the eyes of the people of earth 
to the fact of the naturalness of heaven, must 
be moving very slowly, when I witness such 
numbers of transitions as that of the one just liber- 
ated from the body. It is pitiful in the extreme. 
They have educated themselves away from all that 
is homelike or beautiful. They have made their 
lives a sort of martyrdom there, denying the flesh, 
and placing all human ties under their feet, if in any 
way they hinder the ideal life of sanctification, only to 
wake up here to learn that the purest heavenly 
bliss is won by keeping the ties of nature sacred and 
through that love, learning to behold nature's God. " 

"How Henry has progressed ! " said Mary. "I 
cannot understand some of the lessons he would 
teach us. " 

"And he is only on the threshold of knowl- 
edge, " I said. " 

"We will all learn more in a few millions years, " 
said she, smiling. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER VII. 

One of the Weights which Menace ocjr Nation. 

" While in earth life I dealt less with the relig- 
ions of the day, than I did with current politics. But 
looking from this side, with the clearer sight of spirit 
life, I am emphatic in saying that the most harm- 
ful monopoly in the United States is the monopoly of 
the Roman Catholic Church ! We know this church 
is the oldest Christian church extant — that from it 
has emerged people of other faiths or slightly 
changed ones, who are in turn, putting their wares 
upon the world as from the original package, as the 
fountain source of Truth. 

If I remember history rightly, it was in the 
fourth century of the Christian era that the Latin or 
Roman Catholic church assumed authority over the 
other Churches. Ireeneus, Tertullian, Clement of 
Alexandria and other church fathers corrupted the 
religion of Papias and others, and from their own 
devices and ingenuity, built up the church of Rome. 

A few of the questions and answers in their 
Catechism are in themselves enough to show the 
world, what a power, entirely man-made, is resting 
over its adherents. 

* " How are we known to be Christians ?" 
"By being baptized, by professing the doctrines 
of Christ. " 

* As I am quoting from memory, the language may not be correct . 
but the spirit is preserved. Some of the questions are asked at the 
confessional. 



48 

How easy the road I The child is baptized in 
infancy. At the age of twelve to fourteen, it is con- 
firmed in the Church of Rome, learns how much he 
or she owes to the Church, confesses and is safe* 
From that age, the child learns secrecy, hypocrisy, 
and is urged to get money for the church. 

The sin of commission may be forgiven by the 
priest, but the sin of omission is much harder to 
forgive. 

"Have you neglected in any wa}^ to bring gifts 
for the Church of our Lady, which you might have 
given ?" is often asked ; and if the culprit has act- 
ually given money to others, even to relations, or 
neglected to drive a sharp bargain, there are numer- 
ous ways of punishment, all of which mean self-deni- 
al, often in the extreme. 

"By professing the doctrine of Christ," and by 
the "Sign of the Cross." "By professing Christ. " 
Wisely said, for it is professing, not possessing the 
attributes of the Nazarine. "By the sign of the 
Cross." Oh ! cruel mockery which brings the Ideal 
of many to the gutter — to the murderer's chamber, 
where the innocent fruits of their unholy lives are 
baptized, then strangled out of existence, while their 
heads are yet wet with baptismal water, and the 
bystanders unite in giving the "Sign of the Cross. " 

"Where are true Christians to be found? " 
"In the true Church. " 

"What do you mean by the true Church? " 
"The congregation of the faithful, who being bap- 
tized, partake of the same sacraments, profess the 
same doctrines and are governed by their lawful 
pastors, under one visible head on earth. " 



40 

<k What do you call the true Church? " 
"The Holy Catholic Church. r ' 

'* Is there any other true Church beside this? ' 
"No, there is but one true Church.'" 

" Are all obliged to be of the true Church ? " 
" Yes, he that believeth shall not be condemned. " 

This claim that no une else has the least right- 
to consider himself or herself a Christian, has ob- 
tained since the time of Constantine. 

Sometime, I believe, in the ninth century, dis- 
tention arose during the reign of the emperor, Mich- 
ael which, two hundred years later, resulted in a 
division. The Latin Church declared that the Ho- 
ly Ghost proceeded from the Father and the Son, 
while the Greek Church declared that it proceeded 
from the Father alone. 

As the centuries passed, the sixteenth century 
marked a new era in science and letters, and even 
in religion ; yet the Church of Rome sank lower 
still in vice and crime. 

At this time, Leo X was Pope of Rome. But 
"Fate is not always upon a throne, or in a papal 
chair. " At that time two minds were destined to 
shape, future events, one was that of a young monk 
in a convent in Germany; the other, a gay Spanish 
soldier behind the walls of Pampeluna. 

The crowned heads at that time, young and full 
of passion, demanding of life more than its full meas- 
ure, had little time to spare for the affairs of the 
Church, and Pope Leo was not living as a holy 
father of the Church, but as a debased man with all 
the wealth he could command to cany on his cor- 
rupt practices. 



50 

He did not know that In this German convent 
was a man who would be -known through the centu- 
ries as one who revolutionized ideas to such an extent 
that it was made possible for almost any new idea 
to take root with the people. At that time Igna- 
tius Loyola, the soldier dropped his guitar, and 
ceased singing sweet songs to Spanish lasses, and 
began to study into the power of mind over mind. 
He established the "Order of the Jesuits" which, 
linked together a strong chain in another direction? 
a chain, which though weakened has never been 
broken. 

Martin Luther, after long and earnest prayer, 
after days of fasting, after strong denunciations had 
been heaped upon him by his companions and superi- 
ors, denounced the sale of indulgences and "burned 
the bull," which Pope Leo had issued against him 
for the same. 

It was an act which will live in the hearts of 
the lovers of freedom as long as the word Freedom 
has a meaning. It touched the hearts of the multi- 
tude with fear and wonder, and then with admiration. 
Pope Leo tried by ridicule and apparent indif- 
ference, to turn the minds of the people from the 
daring act, while Henry the VIII, came to his 
rescue and strove to make his influence count for 
the distressed Pope. 

All was of no avail. The conflagration had 
started on his way. It must light up the minds of 
the people. 

Luther had made a move in a new direction, 
but he had only exchanged the Pope for the Bible. 
He had gained a step, one that will make his name 



51 
immortal ; but it has since been hard to understand 
which was the real doctrine of Jesus, the one he 
taught, or the one he rejected. 

With this history of the past before me, with 
the needs of the earth world apparent, with the 
spiritual light shining into my life, irradiating my 
pathway with a splendor which no pen can de- 
scribe, I am looking at you there, almost uncon- 
scious of the powei- of the Church of Rome. She 
has been shaken, but to stand more firmly. Dis- 
turbed on one continent, only to plant her fangs 
more strongly into the body of a young Republic, 
Antagonized, only to conquer at last, and to be 
embraced in the sheltering arms of a great nation. 

We from this side are saying, u What do the}- 
mean to do ? the}' who act so listless, with an ene- 
my at their doors, "' 

And we answer our own question with another, 
and say, "What can they do?'' 

Catholicism, with its subtle force will yet rule 
the land, if the people do not awake to a sense of 
duty. Already the press has largely been won over 
by the power of that church ; the politicians, by its 
force of numbers — those in fashion's realm by the 
glare and glitter and beauty of its wonderful ar- 
chitecture and master pieces of art — the poor, by its 
extensive charities. 

Where is there a chance for American men. in 
an American nation ! 

The Catholic police jostles the honest man in his 
search for work, if he pause for a few moments to 
look at displayed comfort, he cannot hope to own. 



52 

The carriages or repositories for the proceeds of 
extensive begging excursions, labeled "The Little 
Sisters of the Poor, " block the way so the honest 
eartman cannot deliver his load on time ; and thus is 
despoiled of part of his earnings. 

The public school system has, in many instan- 
ces bowed to its power. Demands have been 
made in many states for public moneys for paro- 
chial schools. Children are being taught in the 
arts of war as much as in the arts of peace. Hon- 
ored positions are given the American citizen who 
is a Catholic, which would be withheld with a feel- 
ing that it was just, from a Free Thinker or Spir- 
itualist, on account, of belief or non-belief. 

All these events are transpiring every day, and 
you as a people are not setting your forces in a new 
direction for liberty, 

Rome has stained her paths with blood! Do 
you want more blood ? Rome has slaughtered her 
innocents I Do you want more slaughter ? Rome 
has her heel upon the American nation — her iron 
heel ! and you there are treating it as a child's toy I 

S. Bowles., 



PAPER VIII. 
Mental Therapeutics. 

I have been for years deeply interested in 
those phases of belief which have come from our life 
to yours, sometimes much misunderstood ; yet still 
retaining some of the elements which spirit workers 
intended them to retain, although misnamed and 
wrongly taught. Yet the basic principle was there, 
whether under the name of Christian Science or un* 
der the name of Mental Science, Faith Cure or any 
other name. 

Under all- these names, the science of Mental 
Therapeutics remains the same ; and I am much 
gratified that at last, physicians are waking up to 
the matter enough to recognize. the soul as well as 
the body, in the patients intrusted to their care ; 
and that in one school, (the Homeopathic) there is 
an effort being made to more thoroughly understand 
mental conditions, so as to tune up lumps of clay to 
go on doing good service. 

The intricate machinery of the human form is 
a house with a man or a woman inside of it ; and 
like some very poor housekeepers, there are many 
who do not know how to keep house ; and the dis- 
patches sent along the nerves of the stomach to the 
brain, are of a most trying character. 



54 

Could I again dwell in an earthly body, I know 
how to pay it greater respect, by keeping the soul 
in tune, and remembering that the first ailment which 
comes, must be a shock to some set of nerves, which 
telegraphs to the brain, "This man is sick ;" and it 
may be, though the disturbance is slight at first, the 
wires get down around the liver, and cause in- 
action, get tangled up around the heart and cause 
palpitation, touch the small and large veins and 
cause pressure of blood upon the brain, until the 
conditions become such that the tenant has little or 
no control of his house. 

The old school physician begins at once upon 
the body. He wants to clean out the house by 
force, and so drugs are brought into requisition. 
Even if they have the desired effect, they help to 
sever the relations between a man and the house 
he lives in. After such heroic treatment, he does 
not restore the message department for a long 
time ; because so many wires are down between 
body and soul. Though the house may look better, 
there is a lack in mental power and also a lack of 
control of the body. 

Of course he keeps on thinking, but thought 
force, when not discriminate^ used, may be de- 
structive instead of constructive. 

Mental Therapeutics, when well understood, 
will prevent the wear and tear of the house. The 
ablest physicians will soon see that they must edu- 
cate themselves in another department — that these 
drugs are forces which are working against nature, 
and that success is only to be brought about by an 
understanding of the partnership of soul and body. 



55 
It was my privilege to attend a pleasant party, 
where several physicians had met to discuss Mental 
Therapeutics. It was an informal party, and being 
a friend of one of the physicians, I was welcomed 
to their midst. They were asked to relate their ex- 
periences when in earth life, in some one case, where 
they had been successful in healing by will or soul 
power. I will report a few of the instances, which 
to me were most interesting. 

A veteran physician said, "I was for years a 
Materialist. I have often grieved my gentle wife 
bj r saying, T have dissected many a body and found 
a meaning in every nerve, cord, membrane and tis- 
sue, have known what each bone and sinew meant, 
and the part they had to play, but I never found a 
hole for a sou ; , and I don't believe there is any soul.' 
But my gentle wife dropped by my side one day, 
and somehow I wanted something of her to love. 

I tried to study into spiritualistic ideas, but was 
unfortunate in my experiences. At last I began to 
study in. a scientific way into the relations between 
the body which is moved and the power which 
moves it — the brain which thinks and the power 
which makes it think. Indeed I was in search of 
a living, compelling force, which dominates the hu- 
man structure — this wonderful, subtle something 
called "Life," chained nvv attention. I wanted to 
know what became of the "Life,'" after it had moved 
from the old house ; and I wanted still more to 
know how it could be made to think away pain — in 
short, whether the mental went on living or not. I 
desired to see the effort of combined mental force 
upon disease. 



36 

About that time, a young woman whom I had 
known from her babyhood, came to me in great dis- 
tress. She had tried not to believe it, but now she 
knew from late irritation, she had a cancer on her 
breast. Her mother had died with a cancer and it 
was in the blood as far back as she knew anything 
of her famity, on her mother's side. T examined it, 
and found that although it made little show upon 
the surface, there was a deep-seated tumorous con- 
dition, quite alarming. 

I was truthful in confirming her fears, but un- 
truthful in what I afterwards said. "Why, don't 
you know we have now a positive cure for all can- 
cers at the stage yours is now in ?" 

"No," she said, brightening up, "I thought 
nothing but the knife would help, and often that 
was useless." 

Said I, "I will come over toward .nightfall with 
what you will have to use, and give you full direc- 
tions." 

I mused thus, That woman has a cancer all 
too far developed, and her belief in its fatality will 
make it fatal. Otherwise, she has a good physique. 
It will do no harm to see if the combination of two 
mental forces will drive out disease. 

I put some salt and water in a bottle and la- 
belled it, "Poison," and called on my patient. I gave 
the strictest orders that the bottle should be kept 
under lock and key, when not in use — to put a few 
drops in some water. I told her to put a compress 
upon her breast eveiy night and to wet the cloth two 
or three times during the night, but to invariably 
burn the cloths, and to wash and rinse her hands 
after each application. 



hi 

"You believe in killing out one poison with a 
more deadly one, do you not, doctor? " 

I, poor sinner, answered in the affirmative. 
"I am better already, " said she, two days after. 
"I do not feel the itching or the stinging pain which 
I have felt and had felt for weeks before anything 
showed on the outside." 

I told her I was glad, that I knew it would 
cure her- 1 — that she must know it too; and as she 
looked me straight in the eye, she said, "I do know 
it, doctor. " 

Her knowing it and my knowing it, helped more 
than the salt and water. In the course of three 
weeks there was not the least cancerous symptom 
about her. 

"What did you give her to throw off the poison 
from her system ? " asked one of the doctors. 

"Nothing. Nature did her work ; and two 
minds against one cancer was too much for it. Now 
that I know of the spiritual battery which was 
brought to bear, I know the hosts of heaven were 
against it too." 

Another of the physicians told of experiments 
with cases of obstinate hysterics. Another, of a con- 
dition which assumed typhoid fever from having 
been exposed and the belief that she had the disease. 
Another told of a consumptive patient, with all 
the general symptoms, characteristic of the belief in 
his predisposition to it and many other cases were ci- 
ted which showed plainly that the knowledge of the 
spirit world will mingle with that of the earth world 
until Mental Therapeutics has become the physi- 
cian to health ose under its care. 



So I will hail with delight as will others of this 
life, the grand era when the power of the soul shall 
be recognized as superior to the wasting tissues of 
the body, or at least until the worn-out casket must 
like a chrysalis, burst its shell for the ripened spirit 
to enter upon new experiences. Scientific men and 
women here, say there is no reason why souls should 
not dwell in their material bodies for a hundred 
years. Personally, I have no desire to stay so long, 
but many cling to earth. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER IX. 
Mental Therapeutics. (Concluded.) 

This subject has a strong fascination to me, and 
from this side where we can see the spiritual anato- 
my, where we can see the wheels go round, it seems 
possible to make the tenant far superior to the home 
he lives in. 

The world has always had its born leaders and 
always will have. There is an aristocracy of soul 
and there are among the moving mass of people, 
those who were born for special work, and who have 
accomplished that work. When in that life, I used 
to look upon the subject of Mesmerism as one of the 
things to be let alone. Now I see, under this new 
light, that no one can afford to let it alone, and that 
it enters largely or should, into Mental Therapeutics. 



59 

If the power used to make people believe that 
a broom is a fine-toned musical instrument — a piece 
of twine, a wide and deep river — a minister of the 
Gospel, a thief, who should be immediately brought 
to justice — a little child magnified into a queen of 
some foreign country — a black cat into a white ele- 
phant, was utilized in the effort to heal the souls and 
bodies of the people, great results might follow. 

But this much abused science, let loose upon a 
world of people, who are waiting to lean their weary 
heads on some one, casts the shame of a blameful 
life on some other object outside their own person- 
ality. The thought of its being possible to commit 
murder and then not be the murderer, is making it 
necessary for a new course to be taken upon this 
subject. 

Hypnotism as now practised for the amusement 
of the people does more harm than good. It heals 
no body — it cures no diseased mind- — it is simply 
the amusement of an hour, but leaving with some 
the troubles of a life time. 

Prof. Cad well and Hypnotism. 

I have made it a pleasant duty to interview 
Prof. J. W. Cadwell, well known all over the 
eastern states, upon his present views of Hypnotism, 
and was not surprised to hear him say, -'I used that 
power as a plaything, which rightly understood, 
might have borne rich fruits for state and nation." 

In my long talk with him, he coincided with 
my belief that it should be brought before the world 
in a dignified and respectable manner, and recog- 
nized as a great factor in good government — that 



colleges should be established, where this power 
of mind over mind, and mind over matter could be 
studied in all its phases — that diplomas should be 
given to successful graduates from these schools, mak- 
ing it lawful for them to practice, after a thorough 
investigation, if their moral lives and bodily habits 
were in keeping with the high and holy purposes 
for which an all-wise Power intended the gift. "1 see 
since my transition that there surely was a strong 
reason for the suppression of mixed gatherings for 
the display of this gift. For from many of them 
have gone forth those having a smattering of the 
power, who try their will over some one for their own 
aggrandizement. It may be to obtain a loan of money, 
knowing they never can pay it— -the turning of one 
member of a family against another— the getting 
some temperance reformer to take the drink that 
will start him on the downward way and ruin him for 
public work, or this power may be used to ruin some 
girl whose life had before been blameless^ and num- 
berless other evils that I cannot mention now. 

I did treat some patients with my power and 
helped them, but the world was not ready for the 
revelation which has since come through study of 
this great subject. " 

"How would you guard against the evils resul- 
ting from indiscriminate use of this power ? " 

"I would have all the young people instructed 
that the influence of any person, who ail at once, or 
by degrees, makes it less easy to do right, and easier 
to do wrong without compunction of conscience, is 
a person who is not merely influencing them, but 



61 

dominating them, and there is danger every step of 
the way. 

There are mental gymnasiums where the 
thoughts of individuals are felt before they are 
spoken. I would have all, such apt students that U 
could not be possible for evil thoughts to make an 
impression, while good thoughts should make a last- 
ing impression. The power of the mind over the 
body, so that a patient feels sure that his body will 
feel nothing during a surgical operation, ought to 
be sufficient evidence of how much of weal or woe 
may center in the dominating power of the hypnotist. 

There are to-day, thousands of people, poor be* 
cause minds have dominated them, with the be* 
lief that some fortunate mining scheme would bring 
great wealth to themselves ; and hundreds of rascals 
rich, because they had the power to play upon the 
minds of their victims. There are scenes in many 
homes, because the wife has run up great bills which 
her husband must pay or a fuss will be made, pur- 
chases, which would never have been made were 
it not for the hypnotic influence of the salesman. 

There has many a wife signed papers under the 
spell of hypnotic persuasion, which later on has 
robbed her of her home. 

Tne ranks of the intemperate are constantly be- 
ing filled by those who are led by this misdirected 
power. Laws that are a shame to the nation are 
often the results of what is called strong, magnet* 
ic speeches by some one in the assembly or senate. 

The maker of these speeches, either consciously 
or not, throws out the power, and a nation or state 
suffers from the influence of one man." 



62 

How should Hypnotism be used ? 
I left Prof. Cadwell with a great query in my 
mind. How shall the world utilize Hypnotism, and 
how shall people be guarded against its misuse ? 

Education seems to be the only lever to be used, 
and if your world wakes up to the thought of it, 
it may banish the life-long bug bear of heredity, by 
creating a" right inheritance. It will say to the 
young mother, "Create your child ; nothing can 
harm it ; no sin shall cast its blight over it ; live 
well yourself ; think pure thoughts ; cast from your 
mind all undesirable inherited traits on either 
side ; they shall not touch your child." Allow no one 
to see the mother, who will cast doubt over it, or 
fear, or voice one note of despondency. Live in 
the belief that the child shall be free from taint, and 
even the sins of the fathers will have little or no in- 
fluence over it. 

The above is a theory I should like to see ac- 
tualized ; but upon this side these opinions are 
much favored. It would do no harm to interest 
young women who are to be mothers, upon these 
points. It could not harm the child, for the mother 
to believe in it, during pregnancy. Of one thing I 
am sure, that your world and ours, so far as I have 
seen, are now only on the threshold of spiritual en- 
lightenment, and that the only wa} r to gain the 
heights desired, is to be on the alert in all ways ; 
spurning nothing that appeals to you for investiga- 
tion, remembering that the great "Universal Good" 
has not left out of the economy of nature, one 
thought or stepping stone for the betterment of hu- 
manity. 



63 

But it is the work of the spirit of man to divest 
even that which seems grotesque of its strange ha- 
biliments, if concealed beneath, there be one germ 
of the truth. Great good will only come to the real 
student. Those who follow their own ideas, although 
they may bring great gain, cannot receive the bles- 
sing of conquest over a hidden truth. 

Edison a great Hypnotic Subject. 

Edison, the greatest hypnotic subject the mod- 
ern world has known, has his operators almost en- 
tirely in the spirit world ; and is reproducing in 
large degree that which is considered new. Could 
I give you the real story of what I have learned of 
of ancient living and thinking, it would rival the 
the stories of the lost Atlantis, and people this con- 
tinent with a race as superior in thought, stature 
and power of invention over you of to-day, as your 
times are superior to that of the wooden canoe and 
painted faces of the Indian dwellers upon your soil. 

The thought that life is constantly tending up- 
ward in some direction, may be true, but that it 
moves in cycles of development, seems more true, 
and faithfully corroborates the old saying, "There is 
no new thing under the sun." 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER X. 
The Spiritualistic Field, 

As I see it now, special attention is at present 
being paid your world by logical spirits upon' this 
side to find the present status of Spiritualism. 

"What can it mean ? " say some who are view- 
ing the work there with fearful hearts. "This^chang- 
ing scene- — this disbanding of societies — this going 
into the ranks of the churches, notably the Unitari- 
an — many people who know that spirit communion 
is a fact." 

I answer, one solution of it is, 

Jesuit Spirits are in it ! 

They are calling 
together but to scatter — lifting up but to let fall 
a g a i n — putting before the public, lights which are 
electric in their power, for a time, only to let them 
fade away, obscured by doubt and ignored by their 
former followers. Phases of mediumship which used 
to stand perfect test conditions, are now put before 
the public with fear and trembling, and no person 
admitted who does not bring an introduction from 
some well-known friend. 

The public is justly growing more critical. True 
Spiritualists are claiming continued evidence, in- 
stead of resting all their belief and knowledge upon 
the history of past. 



u 

A veteran Spiritualist, who had lately entered 
mpon spirit life, said to me, "Although this life 
is more than I could have hoped for, in the sense 
that every thing is so beautiful here, yet I have 
brought with me a deep regret that I was not more 
•discreet in advice to unbelievers. More than twen- 
ty years -ago, I saw materialization under right test 
conditions. My people came to me with their own 
faces, with their own knowledge of events, and 
talked and walked with me — no gauz} r veils to ob- 
cure them — no machinery to obscure the light. I 
could see, hear, feel and knew I had found my 
own. That satisfied me. I lived upon the thought 
for years and rehearsed my experiences, but I went 
only to that one medium for that kind of mani- 
festation, 

During the years, 1 interested friends in my story. 
When the chance came to visit a medium in a near- 
by town, I advised my friends to go and see their 
friends — to have no doubt about it— not to go 
through with any preliminary stages — just to go and 
see them. 

One after another went and came back only to 
tell me of their disgust. They saw nothing only 
what might have been dene by one person, without 
accomplices. 

I was offended, and I decided to go myself, tak- 
ing with me the widow of a prominent man, who 
had lately passed on. f thought the former visitors 
were blockheads. Materialization was true. 

In the seance room we found lots of fixings, 
which I had not seen in the old days. It was so 
dark that I could not see my friend's face, near me. 
"I wouldn't know my mother in this light, " I said, 



"Your eyes will soon become accustomed to it," 
said the medium from the cabinet. "Now sing some- 
thing load and clear — be earnest in it. " 

They sang ; the curtains parted and there was 
something white, visible between them. A form 
stepped out and some one jerked the light until it 
almost went out. A faint voice called for one of 
the circle, who went up. I heard kissing and whis- 
pering ; and then he came back and said it was his 
wife. Others went up, until at last my friend was 
called up, and after a little, screamed out in terror ! 

They tried to get the forces together again, but 
they could not, though they sang the "Sweet By and 
By," very loud. 

The medium said it was useless ; while my friend, 
trembling and suffering from a first experience was 
begging to go home. 

"1 am afraid to stay, " said she ; and we left. 
"What were you afraid of? I asked. "If it was 
a spirit, it could not hurt you. " 

"I am not afraid of spirits, but I am afraid of 
that man behind those curtains. When I went up, 
a form of a man not unlike my husband, as nearly 
as I could see by the dim light, stood there. 
He whispered to me, calling me by name, and kissing 
me in an awfully human way. Still I did not know 
but it was he. His hair was exactly like my hus- 
band's — a mass of curls all over his head. I said 'O, 
Charlie ! is this you ? ' I reached up to caress his 
curls as I used to, when he was alive. But the man 
jerked my arm away and somehow I held on to 
the hair and had a wig in my hands. He then 
pinched my hands to make me drop it, and then in- 



67 
formed the circle that I was hysterical and caused 
the form to dematerialize suddenly, which had been 
a shock to the medium." 

I did not know whether modern spirits began 
to dematerialize at the head or the feet. But my 
friend says she had hold of a wig, and I believe it. 

The medium didn't stay much longer in that 
vicinity. He went away to find others for victims. 
u What I regret about it, ''continued the old man, " is 
this — I didn't keep up with the times. I didn't read 
enough; I didn't go enough to find out what goods 
were being put upon the market — and most of all, 
I regret that I did not advise people to see phenom- 
ena in its simpler phases, reserving materialization 
for subsequent investigation. " 

I felt great sympathy for the man, and told him 
there would yet be a chance for him to correct the 
mistake ; perhaps by communicating through some 
simpler phases of mediumship, to his friends who had 
by following his advice, been disgusted. 

"The Lord only knows, " was his response, as 
he passed out of my presence. 

There are thousands of Spiritualists, living in 
the past of Spiritualism, who should be alive to its 
onward march to-day ; and equally alive to the 
humbuggery, which like barnacles, is clinging to it. 

Me. Bowles endorses the National 
Organization. 

I have been pleased to note the progress of a 
National Organization, through great discourage- 
ments. 1 know that its object is a benevolent one; 
but the lack of a proper education in this matter, 
is making it hard for anv organization to exist. 



Not long ago, at a meeting in one of our large 
eities, where anti-organization was the theme, one- 
speaker, with great unction, declared that "Black- 
birds flew in flocks* while Eagles soared alone. " 
He likened each one upon whom the spiritual light 
had fallen, to the eagle in strength and power. He 
further said that the fetters of organization could 
not bind them. 

But at this time, organization of town, county* 
state and nation is needed. Had it not been for 
your spiritual organization, with its vigilant leaders 
and workers* I fear that large classes of people 
would to-day rejoice because they had succeeded in 
putting God into the Constitution. Sufficient help 
is not being given the National Organization ; and 
Spiritualism suffers because of the lack of concen- 
trated action. 

The foes to fight are not entirely of your life, 
for there are spirit enemies constantly at work to 
produce disruption and fierce antagonism. Socie- 
ties place upon their platforms those whose lives are 
as dark as the night. If they are only mediums, if 
they can give tests, or speak to please the public, 
such persons are employed. They may do their pub- 
lic work well for the month's engagement. People 
become interested and then there follows after them, 
a trail of slime and corruption. 

They are not honest in their mediumship, nor 
pnre in their social life. In fact, they should never 
have been teachers until they had learned the lessons 
of true mediumship and the necessity of banishing 
from themselves even the appearance of evil, 



69 

Demand clean records, and pure moral conduct 
of all public speakers and mediums. Those who have 
seen their mistaken lives and striven by earnest ef- 
fort in right directions to correct the past, should be 
encouraged. But if one shred of the old life plague 
is left, it will spring up and again set in motion those 
tendencies considered extinct. 

It is not necessary to be unkind, but it is neces- 
sary to protect that banner of truth which is the en- 
lightening power of the world. The thinkers of the 
spirit world commend all efforts in an}' direction 
that tend toward the harmonizing effect of success- 
ful co-operation, and the future of Spiritualism de- 
pends upon the course taken by its exponents to-day 
whether they scatter or bind together, by this scien- 
tific religion of the soul. 

New phases are coming to light, new medium- 
ship is being developed or at least, new to this cen- 
tury, but that which has had its existence for ages. 

The reason for the idea of psychometric reading- 
becoming so prevalent, is that there are spirits over- 
seeing this phenomena, expecting in the near future 
to develop some medium so that the touch of an ar- 
ticle will make it possible for the medium to directly 
tell the name of the person who owns the article, 
and from that tell of the spirit friends called by that 
slight magnetic link between the earthly and the 
heavenly ; and be able to definitely state their pres - 
ent condition and give to the world sure testimony of 
the presence of the spirit, without any of the trance 
conditions which are so largely misunderstood by the 
skeptical investigator. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER XI. 
In the Realm Celestial. 

Some seventeen }^ears ago, I believe, I made a 
statement that it was impossible for me to exist in 
the higher spheres ; and at that time it would have 
been, even for a moment. I had not learned the se- 
cret of spiritual altitudes, and have as yet, only a 
meager knowledge of it. Still I have for some time 
been desirous of entering even for a little while, the 
Realm Celestial. 

This was a most important event for me; and 
I thought, what guide shall I choose to show me 
the way. At last I asked Mary if she would go. 

She said, "No, Samuel, I am not a reporter nor 
a journalist. > They dare go anywhere, but as for 
me, I think the purity of that realm would make 
me so ashamed of my unworthy self that I should 
take no comfort. 

My guide asked me, "Whom would you pre- 
fer to visit in the Realm Celestial?" (The seventh 
sphere some call it, but really when you have reached 
that altitude, the thought of spheres is almost an- 
nihilated.) 

I said, "I want to visit some common person, 
one who belonged to the rank and file of life — one 
who had not been honored publicly. I want to see 
such a person, for I hope the interview will reach 
thousands of homes in the earth-world, and be read 
those who are weary and troubled about many 



71 

things. Should I visit a great' personage, and write 
up his life in that realm, the people of earth life 
would say, 'Oh, it was easy for him to climb ; he 
had the world at his feet while on the earth, and it 
opened the way for him.' 

So, just show me one of the home keepers of 
earth life, translated to that realm, so much talked 
about and so little understood." He took my arm 
and we gradually rose up higher and higher on an 
inclined plane. At first it seemed I must step or 
make some motion with my feet, but gradually I lost 
all inclination to do so and was carried along. 

The upper air was not an unpeopled country. 
As on the ladder of old, angels were ascending and 
descending, so we met hundreds of happy-faced, an- 
gelic looking beings, going downward on errands of 
mercy. At last, my guide stopped and asked me to 
look around the City Celestial. I gazed as one en- 
raptured. I saw no crowded city with high walls, 
but a place more like a thickly settled part of the 
country — and such a view as was opened out to my 
astonished eyes ! Homes everywhere, and such 
homes as would baffle the descriptive power of the 
most graphic writer . 

I looked at the ground upon which my feet 
seemed to stand and fancied my heavy weight 
would break it through, as it appeared to pulsate to 
the touch of my feet. 

"You will feel better floating than walking," 
said my guide "since you have such a sense of inse- 
curity." So hand in hand we went past these 
homes, embowered in clinging vines and from which 



72 

hung the most beautiful flowers. I noticed that 
each home had different shapes of flowers, and pre- 
sented different colorings. I asked my guide the 
cause, as there were appearing to my view, new 
shades of color, unseen in the lower spheres. 

"Those colors on the vines are the expression 
of the spiritual development of the people who 
occupy the homes they embower." he said. 

"Do you see that mansion yonder, with the 
dark red color prevailing? The one who dwells 
there, although beautiful enough to be a resident of 
the Realm Celestial, and good enough to be here, 
one whose life had been full of pomp and power in 
the past — one who was a martyr in earth life, is not 
yet emancipated from the thought that she was once 
a queen, and so the color red, which links her most 
closely with the old life, is around her. I heard her 
say once, c Oh ! that I could forget those days when 
I was full of power, bowed down to, praised bj r a 
thousand tongues, and only remember that my life 
was sacrificed for a principle. Over here I could 
do better work, and then my red roses of power 
would change to the white blossoms of purity.' " 

"O, see those golden bells that hang from the 
vines over your mansion," I said to one, u What does 
that mean ?" 

"It means that I cannot forget I led in the mad 
race for gold, hundreds of years ago, and if I found 
it dross, the memory still clings to me." 

To the owner of another home I said, "The blue, 
what does that mean ?" 

"I wrote poems that lived after me. I am loved 
yet because God gave me the gift of the poet." 



73 

■"What does that massive structure mean, cov- 
ered with flowers of so many shades of green'? 

"It means, I was an historian. I have left 
behind me, massive books for a world to read. I am 
glad that it was so." 

To another, I said, "The changing hues from 
heliotrope to lavender, what does that mean? 

"The gift of song was mine. I awoke the good 
in human nature. I inspired genius. I gave wings 
to hope. I made the miserable,' happy, if only for 
an hour." 

To another I said, ''That strange blending of 
colors which I cannot name — that change from the 
darkest shades to shimmering, silvery whiteness at 
the edges of the leaves — What does that mean ?" 

"J was one of the old masters, aud with me 
died the secret of wonderful coloring — of shades 
that live, though those of nature die ; of the power 
to create color by skillful manipulations; it was 
mine." 

"And here we see where absence of all color 
makes a strong contrast to the rest ; what of the oc- 
cupants of that modest dwelling? See how the 
white bells hang down almost transparent and the 
green leaves seem as though a breath would blow 
them away.'" 

"But a breath will not blow them awa}'. They 
change from old to new, but are not destroyed nor 
made unsightly. Those flowers mean, "Through 
much tribulation, I gained the City Celestial." 

"This is one of the most beautiful in this sec- 
tion," said my guide, pointing in another direction, 



74 

and as I gazed upon it and saw the wondrous beau- 
ty of the home, and the curving of leaf and flower, 
I felt like falling in adoration before a power that 
could create such garlands of beauty. The blossoms 
were five leaved, rather small and white as wax. 
The center of each flower had little stamens, upon 
which glittered diamond like anthers. I looked 
again and again. 

"It dazzles me," I said, "I cannot look long, 
but oh ! what beauty," 

"It is because your eyes are not accustomed to 
the City Celestial," he said. 

"The occupant of this home is the one I desire 
you to see, one of the common people of the earth. 
I will ascertain if she will receive you." 

"Angelia, will you receive this friend, once of 
the mortal world and tell him of your life ?" 

If I could only describe her who stood before 
me, wuth such noble bearing, yet with such an an- 
gelic face ! If I could tell you of hair like fine-spun 
gold, in waves of light, that seemed constantly chang- 
ing its hue! If I could tell you of that form, magnifi- 
cent in proportions, yet having apparently no weight, 
and the garments that were a revelation in them- 
selves ! Every change of position gave a different 
impression of the glittering white surface, and yet 
every motion was as unstudied as that of a child. 

"Be seated," said she with a voice like silver 
bells. 

I looked around to the place where my guide 
had stood, but he was gone, and then I looked help- 
lessly to the proffered seat. I could see right 
through it, and I thought it j would not bear my 



75 
weight. I who had felt so light a little while be- 
fore, now felt as though I was experiencing all the 
difficulties of earthly avoirdupoise. 

She smiled and said, " Sit down, the seat will 
hold you ; you are not as heavy as you think ;'' and 
so I dared to risk it. The seat, seemed in some sub- 
tle way to adapt itself to my proportions; and I was 
at once at ease in the presence of this regal angel 
of light. 

"Of what would you have me speak," said she, 
though I think she must have known without ask- 
ing me, for she looked me through and through. 

I answered "I wish to learn of your earth life 
and how you gained your present position." 

'T was a peasant's wife in far off Ttaly. I knew 
of only trouble and care. There were children, so 
many of them I did not know what to do ; and then 
my sister died and I added her three to my five, and 
the home was so ful]. My husband worked hard, 
and he blamed me because I added more burdens to 
him ; but the good God gave me strength, and I 
taught the little ones to till the land and help me. 

Then my husband came over to this life and I 
suffered much from fear I had been selfish after all, 
and added to his burdens, instead of being kind in 
taking my sister's orphans. 

That weighed upon my mind so much that I 
was very unhappy until one night a dream came to 
me. I was told in the vision, (for now I know it 
was one) not to let my heart be troubled, but to 
live as best I could, and teach all the children the 
sin of untruth, make their lives just as spotless as I 
could, and that it would be well with me. 



76 

Some of them were very hard to teach. I could 
not find in my poor Catholic faith, that which I 
wished to teach them, and so when I worked in the 
vineyards, dug in the earth, planted the vines, or 
sowed the grain, there came to me, sweet thoughts 
that I made (now I see it) shine out of my life into 
theirs, and my oldest boy often caught my thought 
and was the inspiration to a king whom he after- 
wards served, The king let this kind light shine 
over his kingdom and each one of those children en- 
tered some avenue in life which helped to spread 
the light which had come to me, until it was over 
seas and in many climes. 

That was my first stepping stone to the Celes- 
tial Realm. I lived in earth life to be very -old as 
they call it. I laugh now at the thought of age. I 
was wrinkled and bent and I suffered. My children 
were faraway, but came sometimes, begging me to 
go home with them ; but I would not go. T wanted 
to stay in the little home until I died, 1 I said, and 
they went away sorrowfully to their duties. 

Away back in my rosy youth, I had an enemy. 
She had envied me and robbed me of my lover, for 
all life seemed sweeter for his having lived. She 
did not get him herself, but she had cast a shadow 
over my young life, so J never felt quite as I did be- 
fore, and still I tried to do my duty. She came to 
me in her last days, more wretched, more suffering 
than I could have thought of b eing I took her in, 
and when I came to this life, I begged my children 
to let her stay in my old cottage till she too entered 
the higher life, to use my savings, and she did. Tf 



77 
thine enemy is homeless give him shelter,' some 
wise one had said, and I remembered it. 

That was my second step to the City Celestial. 
Well, after I was in the first sphere of spirit life, I 
began to see that I had not done m} r duty — no, not 
all of it. I was at first restful in the work of the 
past. When I was awakened to just what I was and 
all that surrounded me, aud what I must do, I 
prayed for knowledge — I was so untutored — I want- 
ed to speak in different tongues. That was granted 
me, and thereby I could do more efficient work — and 
Oh ! the work I wanted to do, which I could not 
do. I was so eager to cleanse mv own heart that I 
might help the earth world to sin less. 

• I did not know there was so much of wrong in 
in the whole world, but I looked back and was com- 
forted, for my grandchildren were working more 
and more in the line of my childhood's work, and 
I was told to keep comforting those who came over, 
hoping to find the Celestial City at once. 

T do not know what the Celestial City is,' I 
said, to one who called to Jesus to help her, to carry 
her past, all that was gross, to the good God on his 
throne; and then I found that those who came from 
your life, could not understand that the description 
of the kingdom was only an imperfect vision of an 
imperfect man ; and that even in the soul realm ona 
must work for it. 

I found people, waiting for the master to guide 
them over into the new Jerusalem, and I found they 
had been violators of the law, and thought they had 
been forgiven ; and Oh ! such sad lessons as they 
had to learn. Then I found those who had not 



78 

been violators of the law. They were not criminals 
nor outcasts, but had faithfully adhered to their re- 
ligious creeds. But still they had only lived by 
the letter of the law ; they knew not the spirit, so I 
was one to help them to see the difference. 

Then I found those who must yet have lessons 
in the shadows. They had not reached a place 
where they could stand the light. 

And thus from sphere to sphere, through won- 
derful gradations, was I led to this my present home. 
My task was to teach the mission of sorrow to spir- 
its until they could hear the songs of immortal life. 
But it has been a happy life all the way, since my 
transition. Some have said, 'Stop and rest, why 
toil so much ?' 

And 1 would answer, T seek a city ye have not 
seen.' When I found what my life had builded for 
me, I said, T will inspire from my sweet home, all 
hearts with the thought of unselfishness.' 

Now I am studying the Infinite — I am watching 
the worlds move round — I am trying to understand 
what law means and how it acts — I am watching 
among the glorified, the upward steps yet to be ta- 
ken, and watching to see what new revelations will 
be brought to view. I did not rest until I entered 
the Realm Celestial, and at times I feel I must rest no 
longer. But those who have been here many years, 
tell me to bide yet awhile, for I will have yet many 
chances, such as I have to-day, to send word down 
to the lower spheres and to mortals — that it is not 
wealth — it is not power — it is not knowledge only, 
which gives us the key to the 'Gate of the Celestial 



79 
City'; but it is honest work — honest aspiration and 
a willingness to leave all things for the glory of the 
truth." 

I asked her no questions. What could I ask that 
regal woman ? Then a sudden feeling of uncertain- 
ty warned me that I was losing power over myself, 
and I sought my guide. He awaited me, and I went 
gladly to my quiet home in the fifth sphere. 

"One cannot be a dweller in the Realm Celes- 
tial, Mary, " I said as I threw myself upon a couch, 
which I knew would not break beneath my weight, 
until he has become much more spiritual than lam." 

''That's what I thought," said she, smiling. 
But afterwards, when I described it to her, she said, 
"We'll watch the children, won't we ? and all the 
loved ones. The Realm Celestial will be enduring, 
and we shall reach it by and by." 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER XII. 

An Interview with Lucy Stone on her 
present Ideas of Woman Suffrage. 

I think no one will deny that in earth life, I 
was interested in all questions of a reformatory na- 
ture. The Woman Suffrage question in its incipi- 
ent stages, at first thrilled me with disgust, and 
then with an interest which deepened as the years 
went by. I, at first, thought with the disdain of 
strong manhood, of homes that it would change — 
how the young, loving mother would almost as- 
sume the appearance of coarseness, were she to be- 
come a voter. 

Voting and being feminine were paradoxical to 
my mind. Our homes would be peopled by a set of 
office seekers, who would nearly make orphans of our 
children, and spoil the sacredness of home life. 

But when Susan B. Anthony showed so truly 
one side of the picture, and Lucy Stone showed the 
strong yet gentle side of it, I began to think there 
was no reason why the same rights of men should 
not be extended to women. 

This belief, although I did not give it the pub- 
licity which I now wish I had, strengthened with 
the need, as viewed from a political stand-point. 

What George Wm. Curtis, that noble man of 
letters and believer in equal rights, said, years ago, 
is still true, — "The opposition to woman suffrage is 



81 

only a repetition of traditional prejudice, the pro- 
duct of mere sentimentality ; and to cope with it, is 
like wrestling with a malaria, or arguing with the 
east wind," Yet from this side, he and. I and hun- 
dreds of others, deepty interested, are watching 
states as they come under this banner of woman's 
•enfranchisement and are wondering how long the 
state upon whose shores the seekers for freedom first 
landed, a state fore-most in reforms, open handed to 
sufferers in auy calamity — a state whose statesmen 
cry out loud against monopolies which rob the peo* 
pie, will allow this greatest monopol}* of all, that 
of the ballot box, to go on. God grant it will 
not be long before the women of every state will 
arouse to the thought that there are public duties to 
perform, as well as duties to the home and to the 
church. The most humiliating of all thoughts con* 
nected with the subject, is, that woman should have 
to ask of man that which should be her right, 

I was in those early days deeply interested in 
the Burning words and brilliant genius of Alexander 
Hamilton, who in the New York Legislature, said to 
a committee that had found no proper precedent for 
woman's enfranchisment, as nearly as I can re- 
call it, 'The sacred rights of humanity are not to be 
rummaged for, among old parchments or dusty rec* 
ords. They are written as with a sunbeam, on the 
whole volume of human nature, by the hand of Di* 
vinity itself, and cannot be obscured or erased by 
mortal power ! ' 

The rights most talked of in Jeffersonian days 
were natural rights, without regard to sex. A wo» 
man has the same right to life and liberty that a 



82 * 

man has, and should have the same rights about 
property ; but as yet, in many states, ignorant, tax- 
less men may vote for expenditures, unnecessary and 
extravagant, where the protest of one who must 
make the real sacrifice is of no avail. 

Every one is disgusted, whether aware of it or 
not when other people, without consulting them, 
take upon themselves unlimited power to regulate 
their course in life. 

Lucy Stone still at work. 

Alive with this thought, I sought the home 
of Lucy Stone. I found her busy as ever in work 
that will tell. She greeted me as an old acquaint- 
ance and in her matter of fact way, said, — 

"I am glad to see you — glad to know that now at 
least, you must thoroughly coincide with this 
thought of mine — the thought of earth — the inspira- 
tion of heaven. " 

I assured her of my sympathy, and she said, — 
"Mr. Bowles, sympathy is a good thing; but in the 
earth life it was a wicked waste. The number of 
people on the earth plane who have said they sym- 
pathized with us and would like to help us, only 
some of their friends held them back, is legion. They 
proved to be the heavy weights which the suffrage 
cause had to carry on its back for fear of losing one 
element of usefulness. 

Could I speak to them now as I want to, I 
would say, 'Go ahead ! The person who sympathizes 
and does nothing, is not one of your kind and will 
never help the cause until it becomes popular, and 
then we shall not need them.' " 



83 

4 Haven't you reached your people,? " I asked, 
noticing the wistfulness that came into her face. 

"No, not as satisfactorily as I could wish. They 
asked me if I would come back or send word, just 
before the last of earth life, and I think I said, 4 I 
shall be too busy. ' But now I see this spiritual field 
is the one to work in if one can only have the chance. 
Though I knew of this philosophy, I am crippled 
in communicating and do not as I desire, reach my 
best beloved. T want them to see me as I am ; more 
like the Oberlin student than the worn and weary 
woman who spent her life iii the development of a 
cause, yet hated and rebelled against, even by those 
to whom it gives justice and helpfulness. " 

"What is your opinion of the present develop- 
ment of the suffrage cause ?" 

"Its growing now, " said she, brightening up, 
because women as well as men are becoming students 
in this great problem. Men don't think they are 
selfish, they don't mean to be — but they are not gen- 
erous enough or wise enough to legislate fairly for 
women, because legislation is usually in favor of the 
legislating class, and that shuts women out almost 
entirely from the rights which her nature would most 
surely prize as hers — hers to be cared for — her right 
to keep herself unsullied. It is not safe to one class 
of citizens to trust another class with all political 
power." 

"Would it not in most families, be true that the 
wife's vote would be an echo of her husband's ? " 

"No ; I do not believe it would, unless that hus- 
band was on the side that the wife, after careful stu- 
dy, deemed the just side. Some of them doubtless 



M 

would have husbands like Gov. Orr of South Caro- 
lina, who said, 'The rights of freedmen would be 
safest in the hands of their old masters.' There might 
be many who would strive to monopolize the right* 
of women, even after the edict for emancipation had 
gone forth. 

But this great wave of educational force which 
has touched the brain of the farm woman in the ru- 
ral districts as well as in the fashionable home, will 
enlighten the women as rapidly as it does the men. 

If every woman would answer every man who 
asks this question, 'What do you want the ballot 
for? ' with a like one, 'What do men want the bal- 
lot for ?' and both give reasons, the reasons would 
be kindred ones, " 

"What States do you think will be first to give 
the ballot to woman ? " 

"More of the Western States.— 
'Westward the star of Empire takes its way, ' 
the poet sang, and now it seems to be travelling back 
in a new form." 

"What hinders Massachusetts from falling in 
line with this reform ?" 

"The fear of a new dispensation, with politicians, 
a cleaning-house time, when all old rubbish will 
have an airing — -and another class who argue 'the 
time is not ripe — -create a public sentiment — be pa- 
tient—educate yourselves.' 

Another class, (mainly women and ministers,) im- 
agine that somewhere in Holy Writ, there is a pro- 
hibitory law against allowing a woman to act in 
any other capacity than as a wife or servant of man . 



85 

People don't believe enough in the good judg- 
ment of women. They imagine it is protection to 
keep political care from women, when burdens that 
would stagger men, are constantly her lot to bear. 

But America is a disturber of traditions; and 
the record of the century which is now closing, and 
of the new one coming, will be that of the combined 
efforts of men and women for laws which will ed- 
ucate and protect." 

"What wonders will women work out in legis- 
lation when the ballot is in their hands ?" 

"I do not suppose that the zealous women con- 
sider that they would be so much wiser than their 
brothers, but there is one thing which I think would 
come to pass. To be a woman is in many ways, to 
have a keener sense of human needs. To be a 
mother, is to adopt into your soul the world of boys 
and girls. A man loves his children and theorizes : 
but she who bore them, acts. 

There are gambling houses, brothels and grog- 
shops on every corner. Somebody's boy is going in- 
to them .'' 

Her hands clasped, convulsively ; "Oh ! if it was 
my boy ! Is there no law to prevent a girl, under 
the influence of the first liquor ever tasted, being 
led away to her ruin ? 'What if it is my girl ?' says 
the shuddering woman ; and she thinks of the time 
when with our added shower of ballots, crime will 
be made less easy, and a more perfect education will 
banish in part, hereditary tendencies that make des- 
olate, human hearts. 

But if all the liquor should continue to be used 
that is now used — if maidens continue to be sacri- 



86 

ficed upon the altar of lust — if corruption in courts 
should remain the same — if all the evils which now 
exist, should still exist, still I would say in the name 
of human justice, give to woman the ballot : let her 
do her part — bear her responsibility with those who 
make better or worse, the history of our loved Repub- 
lic." 

I fear I have not quoted her in all respects cor- 
rectly. If word for word was reported as uttered, 
you would have no conception of their force, for you 
did not see this marvellous woman of two worlds as 
she uttered them — such eagerness — such flashes of 
light from a face illumined with a great truth — such 
hope — such courage for womankind expressed in 
word and action by Lucy Stone, the heavenly lead- 
er of an earthly reform. 

Samuel Bowles, 



PAPER xnr. 

TWO WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING PRAYER. 

The subject of my morning thought to you ex- 
plains in a measure, itself, and yet I would further 
explain. It is the way you of earth life understand 
it and how we of this higher realm understand it, in 
the light of a higher education. 

There had been considerable discussion upon 
the subject by a number of friends that almost daily 
convened for interchange of thought. We conclud- 
ed that we would each visit a church or religious 
societ}^ on your earthly Sabbath — each one to go to 
a different city and hear the prayers; at the same 
time looking into the minds of those who offered 
the prayers, to see what ambition prompted them. 

There were seven of us. I will relate my ex- 
perience first, and designate the others by the first 
six letters of the alphabet. 

A Horse Jockey — Auctioneer Revivalist. 

My attention has of late been drawn to one 
who is considered a great exponent of the truth, one 
who is instrumental in saving souls, one who is 
known in every state in the Union. At this time 
he was in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

I found myself in one of the largest churches 
in the city, and it was crowded to the doors. The 
minister of the church had a seat in the pulpit and 
gave out the hymns, for they were to have congre- 
gational singing. 



88 

A man of exceedingly strange appearance arose. 
He seemed to be a cross between a horse-jockey and 
an auctioneer. His first remark on rising to his 
feet, was this. — 

"When I'm hired to do a job, I want to make a 
clean business of it— don't care to have people do 
my prayin'. I know what God ought to do for us 
to-day, so I am goin ter pray that the work will be 
done ter day, not next week, nor next month. Let 
us pray. 

4 ! God, we come ter you ter-day ter get somethin 
and we are goin ter have it. We want in purtikler 
the soul of a rich man in this congregation, which 
we know ought to be saved. We don't want any 
foolin about it. Put the clinchers rite on him, and 
make him know that we know the Devil calls him 
his own ! O ! Lord, give him the feelin that you 
know where lie was last night and his awful deal 
with Satan! Show him that he's railroading strait 
toward hell ! Show him if he had a million more of 
rail-road stocks, he could'nt buy a moment of time ! 
Show him the faces of some of his friends who have 
gone ter hell, lately. Make this your purtiklar work 
to-day, and do the best yer can for the rest of these 
sinners in silks and satins who ought to be in sack- 
cloth and ashes !' " 

He prayed in the same strain for some time. I 
drew closer and closer to him — worked my way 
past clownish-looking spirits, who with coarse jests, 
tried to impede my progress, 

I was determined, and read the mind of that 
man while the audience was singing. "Hit 'im too 
hard I guess. The old cuss don't look as though he 



89 
thought I meant him. I ought to have explained a 
little more about what he was doin' : then may be, 
he Would come down with the cash, so they'd keep me 
another week. Well, well, I must get at it, " he 
said to himself, as the audience ceased singing. 

Who of the unseen ones had heard his prayer ? 
Those of his own kind, who were in sympathy 
with him in his unholy work, would perhaps work in 
a way to answer his prayer for the sake of money. 

I left him, sad and disgusted that aught which 
had ever been considered holy, should have fallen so 
low. 

The Presbyterian Service. 

Mr. A was next called upon. He said, 

"I was brought up in the Presbyterian faith, and the 
prayers and services of that church were all of truth 
to me. I would not believe I could have so 
changed and they have moved forward so little. 

It was a small church in a suburb of the now 
large city of Pittsburg, Pa. It was a village which 
seemed far away from the city when I was young; 
but it has crept that wa}\ No familiar faces were 
to be seen in the old church, now modernized. 

A middle-aged, dyspeptic looking clergyman 
occupied the pulpit. There were hard lines upon his 
face, placed there by keeping all the points of the 
law in his mind and forgetting all points of love. 

He began by praying thus: — "Oh ! thou Infinite 
and Everlasting God, Thou to whom all nations bow, 
hear us, we beseech Thee, this morning, while we 
ask Thee to hasten the time when Thy elected shah 
know Thy face. Make them to feel the time spent 



90 

in iniquity is their great loss — that they had best 
be about their Father's work. Put away from their 
minds, greed for earthly treasure, and if- they have 
been blessed with riches, may they lay it all at Thy 
feet. Bless the church of the living God. Add to 
its membership. Be with the sick. Bless the poor 
and forsaken, and finally gather Thy children into 
Thy kingdom, for Christ, the Redeemer's sake, 
Amen.' 

I, like brother Bowles, pushed my way forward, 
touched his brain and read his thought. "Well, I 
know one thing ; there must be more paying mem- 
bers in this church or I shall have to take my fami- 
ly and go somewhere else." 

He seemed to be an honest man, and he really 
thought he believed in the doctrine of foreordination, 
and desired that more from that number might 
come into the church, for the support of the church. 
They would be saved at last. It was only a ques- 
tion of time, but haste was better than delay." 
The Spiritualist Meeting. 

Mr. B — ■ — then gave his experience. -I was 
drawn to the great city of Chicago and being inter- 
ested in the promulgation of that which is termed in 
the earth world, Spiritualism, I found myself in a 
large building, more like a theater than like a 
church, where a crowd was gathered to listen to the 
inspiration of their speaker. She began as nearly as 
lean remember, by saying : — - 

'Oh ! Thou, the Author of all Being, Infinite and 
Eternal God. Life of alL souls ; Life of all In- 
telligence ; Source of all truth; Thou ever living 
Fountain of love ; unto Thee the nations turn 



91 
and Thy children worship Thee at the shrine of 
prayer to-day. May all aggressiveness be turned to 
fraternity.. May human hearts learn the manifesta- 
tion of that fraternity through Thee.' 

I could not remember the whole prayer. It 
was not indefinite if one believed in a personal God, 
but except one did, it would be hard to fathom the 
meaning of this prayer. 

I found her brain so encircled by people from 
this side, of man}' different orders of faith, yet all 
having the God idea, that I could not clearly sense 
the real thought of the Instrument. I listened also 
to her address which was of a high order of inspira- 
tion, but for that day did not seem as practical as I 
could have desired for human needs. " 

The Church of the Divine Paternity. 

Mr. C said, "I have been more fortunate 

than any of you. I found in the city of New York, 
something that harmonized with my idea of prayer. 
The Church of the Divine Paternity, I believe was 
the name of the organization- The Pastor was a 
middle-aged man. After an anthem had been sung, 
he said : — 

4 Oh ! Thou Invisible Force, whom men call God: 
Thou, who workest in Thine own way, touching 
the souls of men. Help us to-day to do good — to be 
helpful, to be guides to strengthen souls. Send the 
the message of thy love down to the lonely and for- 
saken ones. Move each heart here to know that 
no true prayer can be answered which will not alle- 
viate human suffering. Move each one during some 
portion of the time, to-day, to give thanks for earthly 
bounties, by practical!}' feeding the hungry, and 



92 

clothing the cold ; by giving comfort to the sick and 
afflicted. May this Sabbath be rounded out in its 
fullness of blessing, b}^ spending some time in bles- 
sing others ; and thus may they imitate Him who 
went about doing good. Amen. " 

"I looked into that man's mind and found he 
meant what he prayed. I looked into the faces of 
the people, made beautiful because of a tender sym- 
pathy, and saw the resolves to do some good before 
evening should come. I did not stay to watch re- 
sults, but I believe that man's prayer was answered." 
The Old-Fashioned Methodist Meeting. 

Mr. D said, "I visited an old-fashioned Meth- 
odist meeting in an unfashionable part of the city of 
Buffalo, N. Y. The minister was short, fat and full 
of glory. He knelt down upon the floor instead of 
a cushion, and thus addressed the Lord : — 

"Oh ! Lord, we have been trying to save the peo- 
ple and build up thy kingdom. Wilt Thou not this 
morning, unstop the deaf ears and unseal the blind 
eyes of those who are going straight to destruction ? 
Save them, save them, Oh ! Lord. Thou canst do 
all things. Thou canst turn all hearts to Thee. 
Reach these poor worms of the dust, and Oh ! Lord, 
may they know that it rests with them, that all the 
blood of the Lamb, slain on Calvary, cannot save 
them unless they are willing to be saved. Touch 
their hearts jnst now and bring them to Thee. " 

After the direct contradiction given above, I 
could listen no longer — telling God He could save 
them if He wanted to, and then declaring that God 
Himself could not save them, if they were not wil- 



93 

Hag to be saved. I did not stop to read that man's 
thoughts ; I did not think they would be worth read- 
ing, and with the sound of amen, amen, ringing loud 
upon the air, I left for more congenial quarters." 
The Jewish Synagogue. 

Mr. E said, "I went to a synagogue in 

Philadelphia and heard a Rabbi pray. He prayed : — 
4 Oh ! God of Israel, gather Thy children together and 
let them see that the dawn is near. Show them the 
Messiah cometh to the hearts of men, for our people 
mourn because so many of our people are wander- 
ing down by the cold streams of Babylon. ' 

I did not listen longer, for I could not under- 
stand what he meant. Excuse my meagre report. " 
The Salvation Army. 

"I went to the meeting of the Salvation army 

in Syracuse, N. Y. " said Mr. F "and saw a 

real answer to prayer. They were shouting as usu- 
al, and a half dozen talking at once. My attention 
was drawn to one poorly-dressed woman in Salva- 
tion army dress, whose face could be clearly seen, as 
she knelt in prayer. She was imploring that her 
precious boy might be saved from the power of drink. 
•Save him, Oh ! Lord, 1 she said, 'he is my all, and 
melt his heart so he will come to this meeting. Do 
not let him blame his poor old mother for serving 
Thee. Bring him to Christ. Bring him to his 
mother. Spoil the power of Satan to accomplish 
his ruin. ' 

I watched her through the prayer. There was 
so much of agony in her face. I watched a party 
she could not see — a trio of spirits who compassed 



94 

her about. They too seemed to be pleading for 
help from some higher source. 

Scarcely had her voice ceased, when a young 
girl — an angel of light, dressed in pure white, with 
shining eyes and glad face, led in a young man, who, 
by his dress and bloated face, showed how low he had 
fallen. She led him to his mother, who had just 
risen and was standing. 

'I've been outside with the toughs, mother and 
heard you pray for me, your boy, and I could not 
help coming to you and saying, I will stop drinking, 
I will serve God.' I did not stop to hear more, for 
there was such a noise of prayer and praise. But 
then I saw an answered prayer — answered by spir- 
it friends, who at that time, had power to respond. 
My thought was, oh, I hope it will last. " 

All that we had heard was very interesting. 
I pondered more deeply than ever upon the subject 
of prayer. There has been too much of that kind 
of praying which expects to lie down with good res- 
olutions and be covered with the glory of heroic 
action. They pray, but do not work. 

Children are often taught false notions 
of Prayer. 

A minister's little boy, (if I mistake not, this 
medium knows of the fact) was greatly moved by 
the idea that he must have a sister. He came into 
the house one day, and said, "Mamma, does God 
hear and answer our prayers ? " 

"Yes, my boy," said the fond mother. 
"Then, mamma, come straight into the parlor and 
pray just what I tell you to pray. Say, 'Dear God, 
send Roy a little sister, quick.' " 



95 

The confused mother, scarce knowing what to 

to do, repeated the prayer and the 003^ went to his 

play, satisfied it would be so, because mamma said 

God could do all things. 

In less than a week, there was a little girl born 
to that household, and the triumphant child urged 
every boy who wanted a sister to get his mamma to 
pray with him and he would get a sweet little sister 
in a few days. 

I think that even scoffers will find that true 
prayer is that which sets in action the love-force 
of spirits upon this side, which acts in accordance 
with law for the betterment of the supplicant. 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER XIV. 
A visit to Abraham Lincoln. 
"Why is it, Samuel, that you do not take me to 
visit some of the great people whom you used to 
visit before I came to you? I hope my coming will 
not interrupt the researches you were accustomed 
to make. I would like to go with you to-day. 
Would a woman be in the way ? " 

"No ; my dear, " I replied ; "my wife will never 
be in the way in anything I can do here. I have 
learned to understand the larger sphere of woman- 
kind. Where do you want to go ? " 

" I want to go and see Mr. Lincoln. " 
"You have truly chosen a good man, " I an- 
swered, and at once sent the dispatch over the spirit- 
ual line, which informed him of our desire for a spe- 
cial interview. The response was, "Come. 



96 

"1 am so glad you have let us into the home cor- 
ner instead of into that immense room you use for 
your 'wise talks, ' " said Mary, as she responded to 
the kindly welcome given by both Mr. and Mrs. 
Lincoln. 

"I don't make company of any one on this side," 
said Mrs. Lincoln, cordially, "we are one family 
here and must feel an individual interest in the hap- 
piness of all with whom we come in contact." 

Mr. Lincoln conversed very pleasantly for 
awhile of the new developments for beautifying 
homes in the spirit world, and for the betterment of 
those who come into spirit life without a right un- 
derstanding of what it means — of the great benefit 
to scientific research, Prof. Tyndall had been in- 
earth life. "I never" said Mr. Lincoln, "shall for- 
get my first visit to him. I was eager to tell him of 
my admiration for him and for all the scientists of 
all generations. 

He was glad to see me, and spoke of the work I 
had done, and I thought, magnified my personal in- 
fluence. While uttering one of his most interest- 
ing sentences, be laid back in his chair and went 
to sleep ! Whether to sit still or to go away, I did 
not know ; but in a few moments he quickly awoke. 

'Excuse me,' he said, 'did you not know that an 
incurable insomnia was one of the causes of my 
transition ? It seems so good to rest. I think it 
will take years to catch up. I sleep in season and 
out of season; my spiritual brain as well as my earth- 
ly brain was robbed of its power.' 



97 
'It was your penalty, Professor, for your devo- 
tion to the forces of nature. What you have done 
will live on and on, after the crawling multitude 
which antagonized } r ou, has passed from earth and 
their puny spirits are trying to find a ray of light 
outside the barriers of an early education, which 
crippled, and a faith which cannot sustain the soul 
in the crisis of death.' 

'Well, I am not content with with my past. I 
found, with all my best efforts, I was a coward in a 
measure. I only asserted the half. The realm of 
ether was open to me, and I did not recognize it 
sufficiently to build a firm foundation for a magnifi- 
cent structure.' 

w He then fell into a dreamy silence, half awake. 
His friend and secretary followed me to the door 
and said, 'You must excuse the Professor ; he can 
not yet keep awake — he will, after awhile, but sleep 
opens new worlds to him, and he is not idle.' v 

u What of your own life and work, Mr. Lincoln ?" 
" My own life ?" said he, "I feel almost empty- 
handed. I accomplish so little — such a strange con- 
flict — J cannot understand. My first idea when I 
came over, was, that I could inspire the workers at 
Washington — now I regret to admit that our great- 
est strength has to be spent in controlling their 
efforts. How have the mighty fallen ! 

Many years ago, when I was a young man, I 
visited a slave market in St. Louis, and saw the sel- 
ling of numbers of slaves on the auction block. I 
saw young girls handled like animals. Then and 
there, I brought my fist down and said, 4 If I ever get 
a chance to strike a blow at slavery, Til strike it 



98 

hard.' This saying has entered into history. I did 
not know that it was a dim foreboding of the blow 
I would strike, but T was only the instrument. 

Now some one is needed to strike another blow 
there; a crushing blow at the system that enslaves so 
many people. The man with the pick on the rail- 
road is helping to pay for a useless bauble on the 
breast of a woman. The girl behind the counter,-if 
she is able to live by the sacrifice of her health, with- 
out being robbed of her honor, is helping to set 
the wheels in motion which will weave for some 
other girl with little of the good sense of the weary 
clerk, a wondrous fabric, which will adorn without 
beautifying. 

Oh ! my friend Bowles, we are devising ways to 
to reach Capital and Labor, and the money question, 
and all questions which shall equalize the gifts of 
life. We have some theories which would revolu- 
tionize, but where are the sensitive brains which we 
can mould? Where are the men in power that we 
can sway, even though we beseech and pray, an*d 
leave our heaven in the hope of gaining even a point 
for helpless humanity.'' 

"You are discouraged, Mr. Lincoln, are you 
not, with the present phase of politics? But you 
know a new reign will soon begin. Are you not 
hopeful for the result?" 

u The same manipulating forces which have 
been at work, will still be at work there. The ten- 
dency is all in one direction — more power for the 
powerful, greater weakness for the weak — -more money 
for the millionaires — less money for working people, 
less homes for the poor, more landlords and struggling 



99 

tenants. Talk of emancipation, Mr. Bowles, the bud 
was only nipped by the enfranchisement of the Afri- 
can race." 

"Are you fearful of another war? " 

"Yes, in a way I am. Arbitration with other 
nations seems far-fetched when the chances for war 
seem so remote. Let Congress regulate the seeth- 
ing mass in our own nation — giving it the surety of 
peace instead of a sword — of homes instead of hovels 
— of brotherly love instead of usurpation of human 
rights." 

•• Mr. Lincoln, you are not in this despairing 
mood all of the time, are you?" asked Mary. 
"I should think it would spoil your heaven." 

"I hav'nt got there yet," said Mr. Lincoln. "I 
am only waiting for more work to be done. I could 
not be content with heaven if I left one stone un- 
turned to put out the real fires of hell. I am glad 
you came. I would like to have you ?ee Garfield 
and the rest of us, when we are, together. They 
may see better ways for effecting a change than I do 
and feel more hopeful." 

Nettie Colbdrn Maynard. 

"Oh ! how do you do, " said Mr. Lincoln, a 
bright smile irradiating his face. "Let me introduce 
you to these people. This is Mrs, Nettie Colburn 
Maynard, through whom the angels helped me to 
be strong in earth life. " 

Her face was like the morning ! "O ! friends," 
she said, "it is beautiful, just to exist and to be well, 
to have a body that I can use, to feel no pain — it is 
more than heaven." 



100 

"She is one of our mediums still, Mr. Bowles," 
explained he. " The higher spirits who send word 
to us, instead of coming themselves, are quite at 
home with her, and her marvellous experiences ren- 
der her very proficient in reading the intentions of 
people on the earth plane/' 

"Through great tribulation 3 r ou have been made 
victor, " said Mary, softly : "I have heard much of 
you, and since coming here, have hoped to meet you." 

"I am a frequent visitor at this home,'' said Mrs. 
Maynard. "I have been made one of the family. I 
can look ahead and see encouragement where Mr. 
Lincoln cannot penetrate. So you see I am hope- 
ful and happy : and Pinkie, my Indian girl is seeking 
when I am quiet, to do something for Spiritualism. 
Her powers for manifesting are much more marvel- 
lous than mine. She has made a study of it more 
than I have. " 

"I am so glad we went," said Maiy, "only I did 
not visit with Mrs. Lincoln half as much as I want- 
ed to. She seemed so preoccupied. I'll try it over 
again." 

We went home and talked it over. Mary said, 
"If you really think, and Mr. Lincoln thinks there is 
wrong and treachery and great danger, why don't 
you through that medium, write such thrilling 
words, that the people of the United States will be 
compelled to scatter them broadcast over the nation ?" 

"Neither will they be persuaded though one rose 
from the dead," I repeated, slowly. "Mary, did you 
believe I could pen the loving words I did in my 
eagerness to reach you of earth life ? " 



101 

"No, I did not at first, but the idea grew on me, 
for I studied, but said little." 

"The people down there, are studying and say- 
ing nothing. That is what hinders our progress in 
awakening them to reform society. They say noth- 
ing and do nothing. One or two, or perhaps half a 
dozen printing offices, from which shine forth spirit- 
ual lights, because their presses are rolling out 
spiritual truth for the world, are but tiny bits of 
leaven in comparison to the mass to be leavened. 
They do but feeble work, when the work should be 
so mighty ! " 

"Well, we will work, won't we? " said Mary. 

"Yes, we will. " 

Samuel Bowles. 



PAPER XV. 

A Visit to Leland Stanford. 

"Where are you going? '' asked Mary as she 
saw me get my note book. 

"Nowhere that 3^011 will be interested in going," 
was my answer, "for it may be a dry subject to you, 
this interviewing a man about his present ideas as 
compared with past ones in governmental affairs. " 

"Oh! shame on you ! Haven't you already com- 
mitted yourself upon the subject of woman suffrage? 
Then why should I not be as much interested in 
that which pertains to the good of our great nation, 
as you are? Have not you and I equal interests 
there ? There is that on earth which appeals to me 
as well as you. " 



102 

"Well, come at once, " said I, " you always get 
the best of me in a discussion. " 

Bright and Misty Days in the Spirit World. 

The day was delightful. You may wonder 
that I say this and ask, are not all days delightful 
there? I answer to you, no. I have never been in 
so high a sphere yet, but nature's laws were inexor- 
able. Therefore we have dajs that are misty, not 
bright ; we have at times a chill in the atmosphere 
that reminds us of the past. We are so sensitive 
to these conditions that a very small change is felt 
at once. For a long period I did not sense it per- 
ceptibly, as I had in your life been accustomed to 
them, but now I am sensitive to all changes. 

You speak there, very often, of atmospheric 
conditions affecting the medium so you cannot get 
what is true; and then again when everything on 
your side seems right, you fail utterly in results. 
Why? Because the controlling spirits from this side 
have not learned that the differences in our spiritual 
atmosphere, for hours perhaps, has precluded the 
possibility for intelligent communications. They 
have not the spiritual electricity to take with them, 
and it proves almost a case of 'wires being down/ 
It is a constant study on this side to find out the 
hindrances to spirit communion. 

But I have digressed. As nearly as I can judge, 
his spirit home~is above the University in California, 
which he established. We found it a delightful 
place. 

Mr, Stanford was not a stranger to me, as I had 



. 103 
seen him in earth life. I was sure of the greeting 
which awaited us. His home was a bower of roses. 

W 'I like it so, and so does my hoy and the rest of 
the friends. It is ilie sweetest comfort I take as I lie 
upon tne couch, to hear joyful or hopeful- words 
come to me from my wife — poor woman," said he. 
"Sometimes I think the burden is more than she can 
bear, bur she is so self-sacrificing, so strong to over- 
come difficulties, that the desire of my heart as well 
as hers is, that the education of the children of earth 
life shall not be interrupted." 

He addressed my wife in the most kindly way, 
and then said, "Friend Bowles, }'ou are almost to be 
envied to have on this side the inspiration of your 
life. I wish I could make them realize the coward- 
ice of letting claims rest until a man's body is under 
the sod — and then settling like a vulture upon that 
which is left, thinking that woman in her weakness 
will succumb without standing to the uttermost for 
her rights ; but she I love and trust is brave. She has 
prayed many a night for mv to come and help her, 
and in the darkness, with earthly shadows added to 
this mental one, I have lighted the way for her to 
pursue. There has been injustice done. More will 
be attempted. Old proofs do not seem forthcoming, 
(and there is a good reason why). The power of 
numbers, of a corporation against one woman is pret- 
ty rough. I would be satisfied if both sides were 
thoroughly known, and it would change the scale 
somewhat of debt and credit. 

Pardon me though for striving to entertain you 
with personal and family affairs, Mr. Bowles, I did 
not think you might not be interested in them." 



104 

"Every body is interested in that which will so 
greatly effect a University whose name has become 
a household word, " I replied. 

Stanford on the Money System. 

"I know what 3^011 wish me to talk about be- 
fore you ask me, he said, smiling. "It is to know 
m}' present opinion of the money system of the Uni- 
ted States, as compared with my former opinions. " 

"Yes, that is what I would like to ascertain." 

"Well, brother Bowles, I have studied the issues 
in nvy mind, and sometimes have doubted the advis- 
ability of any of the financial ideaw 1 advocated du- 
ring my earth life ; but with the turn affairs have 
taken, now, I am almost of the opinion that the 
policy I advocated in 1890 (I believe) would have 
been a policy for the people ; and made every citi- 
zen more entirely the child of the government. 1 
begin to think that my idea of the two pet* cent 
interest on values, borrowed from the government, 
would have given confidence to the agriculturists, 
and all classes of labor. 1 think now as then, 
that legal tender notes could be issued upon both 
gold and silver, feeling that it is the internal com- 
merce which should receive our first consideration, 
and that the system of land security would be equal 
to inexhaustible mines of gold and silver. 

I am not a gold man nor a silver man. I do 
not believe either alone will redeem the country from 
its deplorable condition. Gold puts the pressure on 
one side, silver upon the other. The national bank 
system as 1 look at it more and more, seems to bene- 
fit the stockholders of the concern and that is 
about all. You pay largely for what you get ; you 
get little for what you deposit. 



105 

Man's necessities are his enemies. He must pay- 
to the uttermost when need comes, but what does he 
get? The more I think of it as I now see it, Mr. 
Bowles, I would have the National banks abolished, 
and have the dealings of a nation's people with its 
own government, carried on by loan bureaus, estab- 
lished by the government. 

All are called cranks who utter such heresies, 
bnt I believe the time will come when this policy 
will be better understood. I am humiliated when I 
see the greed manifested there. It appalls me ! I 
know if it is not changed — if this concentration 
of the money power is not made impossible, our 
loved country will follow in the path of other coun- 
tries, which have bowed to the power of this mo- 
nopoly. 

If I remember rightly, Egypt died when ninety 
seven per cent of her wealth became centered in 
not more than three per cent of her people. Bab- 
ylon, still worse, for she fell when ninety eight per 
cent of her wealth belonged to two per cent of the 
people. Persia died when one per cent of her peo- 
ple owned the realm ; and Rome fell when two thou- 
sand of her nobles owned the known earth. I may 
have mixed the figures. I have not time to hunt it 
up, " said he, looking at the ponderous volumes on 
the shelves of his library, "but the thought holds 
good, for to-day that is the tendency. A man who 
tells the truth is an alarmist, and sometimes he is 
called more cruel names than that. 

The worn grooves of old parties could no long- 
er hold me. If I was now on the earthly side, 
something newer than the newest thought would 



106 

have to be evolved, to make me again willing to en- 
ter the political arena." 

"You were a man of large experience, Mr. Stan- 
ford, both as Governor of California and as United 
States Senator. " 

"You were known all over the world, and may 
I ask if you are not at present, deploring some of 
the methods by which you accumulated your im- 
mense wealth ? " 

Stanford favors Cooperation. 

" I knew you would hit me about that, and I am 
glad of it. Yes, I was in the race, and I think of it 
now with regret, although I made my wealth count 
for the poor in many ways. Yet, I see to-day that 
spiritually, I should have been better off without it. 
if the labor which helped earn it, could have had a 
more equal share. Co-operation would have made 
hundreds of homes happy. The gain of one man 
through the labor of others, establishes a thought- 
power, incompatible with the true idea of national 
equality. " 

Spiritual Congress and Parliament. 

"May I ask you if this Congress over here, has 
come to any definite conclusion as a body. ? " 

"No, if it had, its power would have been felt 
more on the earthly side. Sometimes it seems al- 
most wasted time — all their resolves and all their 
determination to act upon the statesmen of the world. 
The English Parliament also, on this side, is trying 
to influence its own country, as are the political 
devotees of all countries and nations ; but what 
we really accomplish is so small compared with our 



107 

hopes, that in seems hardly worth the trial. We 
see some one there who is bright with original 
thought, and think he may be a power for good. 
We give him the best help we can. He is inspired 
to make a speech which echoes through the nation : 
he receives a nomination, gets in with platforms 
which demand such extreme measures, that our pow- 
er is. lost. The forces are divided, and we fall back 
to devise other means for financial adjustment in the 
nation we have loved and love still." 

"Will you keep on working ? " 
u O, yes. I think we will. Don't you think it best ?" 

"Yes," I answered. "I keep working, but it is 
in a direction far different from yours. I shall not 
give up. You do the work andll will report what 
you do. That is my work. " 

"Now, husband," said nrv wife, "you wrong your 
self. You are doing something all the time. I 
would not say that if I were in your place." 

"I was only a mill to grind out the news." 

"Such a mill is very necessary," said Mr. Stan- 
ford, "and your husband, through his power of de- 
scription, has done more to mould public opinion 
than resolutions or sermons." 

I thanked him for his kind compliment and 
wondered if I was worthy of it. 

"I'm a little disappointed in heaven," said my 
wife, after we had returned home. "It seems full of 
planning and striving, and reaching out — full of 
talking to people who wont hear you — full of differ- 
ent opinions — full of trying to get some one out of 
difficulties whom you wouldn't help when we were in 
earth life. When I think it over, I wonder what it 
means? " 



108 

"It means," I replied, "that you are in a spirit- 
ual world which is a neighbor not far removed from 
the earth world, and therefore, the duties neglected 
in that life, press upon us here, and we shall have to 
work our way up." 

A little later, she came to me and said, "Its a 
great improvement on the old life . I just for a mo- 
ment became burdened with the thought of the strug- 
gle of the old life and felt the shadow over here." 

"I was afraid it would not be best for you to go 
with me. " 

"O, well, I'm glad I went, but Mr. Stanford is 
so intense, I quite felt that I must do something and 
didn't know what. " 

"You are doing all the time. Work for a while 
at the simpler problems, until you can understand 
great issues and their needs, and not be dragged 
down into the mists. " 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER XVI. 

Dedication of Gen. Grant's Monument as 
seen from the spirit side of life. 

It is not often that any one event in the earth- 
world will serve to attract such multitudes from the 
heavenly world as did the Grant celebration in New 
York. 

No king of any realm, no emperor of any coun- 
try, would have touched the hearts of the multitude 
as this unpretending warrior of those days of long 
remembered strife. Washington, La Fayette, Lin- 



109 
coin and Garfield paid their tributes to the living 
Grant, while the hundreds of thousands of soldiers 
and people paid tributes to the dead warrior. 

In the earth world when any great event is to 
transpire, months are consumed in the arrangements. 
Money is spent like water spilled, and invitations 
are debated over as though they were to give a place 
in Congress, instead of a seat of honor and a chance 
to say a few words on such an occasion. Then the 
heart burnings and bitterness of those who have no 
place in parade or on the platform, is something to be 
remembered for the years to come. 

Over here it is different. Those most likely to 
be interested in such things here, know by a kind of 
heavenly instruction, their place and what it is best 
to do. The common soldier, if he felt the emotions 
which are almost divine, and wished to give utter- 
ance to noble thoughts, would be listened to as 
courteously as the most renowned general. 

When I say that millions of spirits gathered 
there that day to witness that act of respect to the 
noble brother, I am not saying anything amiss, and 
tjiere were veteran soldiers who had just come to 
the "land of the soul," who were given just as great 
respect as the noble men who directed their foot- 
steps. 

Words of General Grant. 
"I hope the boys will get as near me as they 
can," said Grant, as he looked lovingly at the vast 
numbers of people gathered together, and then in 
most simple but pathetic words he said, "Boys, this 
is your day. That vast assemblage is here to do 
honor to those who helped to make my life what it 



110 

was. It was your inspiration, your courage, your 
willingness to die, rather than give up, your uner- 
ring aim and valiant deeds that helped to lay my old 
worn out body in this grand receptacle. 

Even now, boys, if the money used, could go to 
your children or your children's children, and help 
to make them happy and their lives beautiful, I 
would be content with no other honors paid me save 
those that come to the boys' thoughts as they read 
the history of the past. 

I am chided a little by my noble companions 
for my want of appreciation of this great token of 
respect \ but I repeat, that I can only take comfort 
in the fact, when I realize that this tribute includes 
every footsore and weary soldier, who gave his 
strength and life for the preservation of the Union." 

Grant withdrew himself from the company that 
he was in, and swiftly and silently went with his 
family to the tomb. He came back rather saddened, 
than made happy, and said her thought was, "Oh, 
my husband, would that you could know the honor 
paid you this day ;" and said he, "I could not break 
down the barriers sufficiently to let her know that 
I did know, that I was not dead, that all was plain 
to me. Will my own still have to wait until they 
reach this side to learn this truth, that 'Love cannot 
lose its own ? ' I wonder much about it." 

He was told that persistent effort on his part 
might break down the barriers and make his family 
able to know the truth. 

Words of President Lincoln. 

Lincoln with the same kindly, loving smile that 
characterized him in that life, in a conversational 



Ill 

way, remarked, "My friend and brother, the means 
which you feel had better have been appropriated 
for the families or descendants of the soldiers, would 
not have found its way to their homes. Indeed had 
it been divided, it would have been but little per 
capita. Bat I glory in this expression of the love of 
a nation to its heroes. Had not your wisdom direct- 
ed, your boys could never have fought the battles. 
There was a power within yourself that was the 
prime mover in the glory of a nation. This expres- 
sion is not for the children of to-day, but when hun- 
dreds of years have passed, still will the steps of the 
children of earth be turned toward this indestructi- 
ble monument, and the children of that time will 
learn lessons of valor, lessons of courage from the 
inspiration, gained by those who tread on what 
seems hallowed ground. And after not one rem- 
nant of the old form is left, this tomb will be the 
Mecca of the hero worshiper and the discouraged 
children of future generations. Its lessons shall be 
so broad that they will breathe forth of arts of peace 
instead of arts of war. 

But that which helps to build any foundation 
of permanancy, must be recognized as the strong 
hold of a prosperous people." 

Words of General Washington. 

Then Washington spoke briefly. "The bells 
still toll on every boat as it passes the resting place 
of my body on the old Potomac ; and little children 
in cabin or on deck, ask the reason why. They 
get then and there, their first lessons of the birth of 
a great nation through great losses and much blood- 



112 

shed. Men raise their hats and think good thoughts 
for a little time, while tender woman, mayhap, pays 
her tribute in a tear. It is honest recognition, not 
hero worship, which will always be helpful to the 
American Republic. " 

Many others made short speeches, and the in- 
formal gathering broke up. Each went to his home ; 
not with the tramp of feet which keep time to mar- 
tial music, but silently, as spirits go, without fear of 
the crowd, or wondering about their welcome home, 
glad of the rest which home will bring us. 

I hear some questioner ask, "Do you get tired 
there." I reply, "Yes, at times, the same as you do, 
when you say, Tm tired of thinking. ' But rest 
comes surely, and you do not have to linger over 
the thoughts which come from fear of death or loss 
of home, as in earth life. " 

S. Bowles. 



PAPER XVII. 
My Wife's Transition. 

Years ago, when this life was new to me, when 
its beauties and possibilities made me feel that I had 
only just begun to live — when my freedom from 
physical pain seemed like a wondrous reprieve — 
when I at first, in fact, for some time, handled my 
new body with great care, fearing a return of the 
pain which cramped me, and of the weakness which 
crippled me, I wrote to you of earth, of my passing 
out and of my home over here. 

If dying gave us all the wisdom which ignorant 
Spiritualists think it does, I could have seen at the 



113 

beginning, how that message would have been re- 
ceived, but I did not. It was a history of my ex- 
periences, from me — Samuel Bowles — as much from 
myself as was eveiy editorial I had ever written for 
the paper I had grown to love. * 

But, you know how it was received. The 
great world, or those who paid any attention to it, 
said, "Well, if such a thing is possible, if one can 
send a message from the other world, msij be he 
wrote it:" while others antagonized the idea, calling 
the thought expressed, the style utterly unlike me. 

I persevered, however, for I saw seed taking 
root and growing, which was very encouraging. 
This moved me to keep on writing. The reason why 
I have not written more, is because I could not get 
access to this Instrument, as I desired to, and could 
find no other so well suited for my work. 

With" us over here, days do not drag. There is 
work and pleasure, and in fact, work is pleasure. Yet 
all my work and all the new scenes shown me, did 
not in the least wean me from my tender watch- 
fulness over my dear wife. 

We, are not limited here as there. We keep the 
windows of the soul open, and therefore, her needs 
were readily recognized by me ; and all I could do 
to aid her, was done. Yet we of this realm of light, 
are not unmixed with a little of selfishness. 

Our love was more spiritual than human, there- 
fore it lived. I wanted all her doubt removed that 
she should be in this higher life, beyond the possi- 
bility of physical pain. I wanted my Mary to come 
to me, yet I did not want to rob my son until he 
had learned there was no such thing as death. 

* The Springfle Ld| Mass.) Republican. 



114 

There have come to him borne such glimpses, for 
the pulpit and the press have conceded many points 
which before were called impossible. Still his 
mind has not been as thoroughly imbued with the 
idea as it will be when he enters into the spiritual 
realm of thought as broadly as are his present ideas 
of the mortal world. 

Mary could not understand, when the premoni- 
tions came of her final release, how she could feel so 
at rest in her mind. The dawn was nearer her eyes 
than she knew. Gradually, day by day she felt like 
giving up the battle of life and joining the hosts of 
the immortals. Her dreams became pictures of the 
old life, with father and mother, young again. Scenes 
of the old home were revived in memory. There 
were those to whom she talked of me, and of the 
possibility that after all I might have written that 
which was claimed for me.* "Its beautiful, any way," 
she said. How she cherished every sentiment she 
read anywhere of this life, its reunions, its embow- 
ered homes. 

Transition of Mary Sc hermerhornBowl.es. 
She could not feel serious dread of the change. 
I do not wish to recall too forcibly the scenes of the 
earth side, either before or after dissolution, but to 
describe as nearly as I can, the scene with us, when 
we, a loving band were waiting for her to bid good by 
to her body. She heard our singing ; her mortal lips 
could not join in the song nor give a sign. Her 
spiritual vision was opened so she no longer felt 
doubt about the journey. The inner consciousness 
recognized the revelations spread out before her 

* The Bowles Pamphlets. See cover. 



115 

view ; and when the thread of life was snapped and 
she found herself in my arms, she said, ^Oh ; hold 
me closely, Samuel, it must be a beautiful dream, and 
I shall have to go back ! " 

Her mother, young and beautiful, tried to as- 
sure her, but bhe still had doubts of its being "real 
heaven." "There are so many young folks here 
it must be a dream," said she. 

"You're young yourself, Mary, " I said, as I led 
her where she could view her spiritual body. "Do 
you see any marks of age or pain ?" "No, not one ! " 
A great wonder was revealed in her inquiring 
eyes, and admiration for the clothing which fell in 
soft folds about her. 

"How did I get this new life in so short a time ? 
Where was the dark river ? Where was the boat- 
man ? Where was the 'valley of shadows ? ' " 

"All hidden, Mary," I said, as I gazed upon 
her. More than her old self was she to me in her 
spiritual loveliness. "That change which comes in 
the 'twinkling of an eye,' has come to you, my wife. 
You have dropped the outer and are revelling in the 
inner life." 

As she recognized one of the friends she used 
to meet in the long ago, who had been severely 
afflicted she exclaimed, "Why ! where are your 
crutches? I hardly knew you. How well you look !" 

To another, who had passed away from condi- 
tions which had made her a great sufferer from the 
accumulation of adipose tissue, she said, "Its strange 
how I knew you, when you are so slight.'' 

"You knew me because you knew my soul bet- 
ter than you did my body, " responded her friend. 



116 

"When persuaded to rest, she was delighted 
with her surroundings. "Now I touch a couch don't 
I, Samuel, and these are real chairs ? Move one up 
to me : 1 don't want to feel there is anything the 
matter with my brain." Looking at her hands, so 
smooth and white, she said, "Come here, dear; I 
want to see if I can pinch with them . " 

"Yes, you have me to pinch and your hands to 
pinch with," I said, laughing at her doubts. This is 
a real world, Mary — a tangible one, and your home 
is a real one ; All and more than I ever described 
to the earth-world, is real and true : but rest, dear, 
you need it." 

After a little while, she rejoined me and began 
to examine the fairy-like cottage I had chosen for 
our new life. 

"Hush !" said she, "I saw down home then, 
can't we go there?" 

"We can, dear, if you desire, but you would 
feel more keenly the grief — know more of the prep- 
arations for burial, and witness much which you do 
not need to see or to know unless you desire to. " 
Mrs. Bowles attends her own funeral . 

She concluded to wait. At the funeral she 
said, "Oh ! Samuel, see how pale and dead she looks, 
referring to the old body as though it was another 
person. "How kind of them to say all those beauti- 
ful things about that dead woman, is it not ? " said 
she with tears in her eyes. " They don't know 
that I am listening." 

J. (t. Holland whispered to her, and said, "If 
only there was present, what you called a medium 
before you came over here, and that medium was in 



117 
good condition, we could all be seen — the glor} 1 - of 
our white-robed party in contrast to their sorrowful 
mourning party — if that medium's ears could hear, 
they would hear our song of triumph and their 
'Some sweet day' would be drowned out in our 
hosannas, for we have reached the 'sweet day' when 
life's dream is not over, but just begun. " 

"Oh, we shall disturb them, " said she ; then sor- 
fully, "I wish our boy wouldn't shed tears, nor any 
one else for that 'dead woman. ' " 

"Try to place yourself as that dead woman, 
knowing it is the old body you used. Can't you 
realize it yet? " I asked. 

She shook her head sadly, for the meaning in 
all its fulness, of the lajdng aside the old, had not 
yet been full}" realized by her. " I shall learn by 
and by what it is to be 'all new' " she said, and 
again looked at her hands, her feet, and then at the 
dear old friends. 

As time passed she began to realize the fulness 
of the new birth, and she joined me in the active 
pursuits of my life. Still some of my work was not 
interesting to her, perhaps because in my earth life, 
I did not carry my burdens home, or desire to dis- 
cuss very much with har, the issues of the day. I 
wanted rest, when I went home — rest from the old 
treadmill; and sometimes, with the terrible nervous 
strain npon me, I fear I did not give her much of 
an idea of rest, with me there. 

"Never mind," said she, as I referred to the 
past. "I will soon climb up to your level of thought. 
If I am willing to reach up, you will be willing to 
reach down to me,' ' 



118 

The freedom from care of the home, the way 
all heaven has of adjusting itself and fulfilling the 
requirements of the spiritual body, and yet to her as 
it was to me, this life is a source of astonishment. 

"Everything real, with hard housework or un- 
ruly servants to oversee, left out, it is a great nov- 
elty, " she said to me only a few hours ago when we 
were talking of a recent visit to our friends of your 
beautiful city. "Why couldn't God have made the 
earth the same way?" 

"Why isn't a tree large to start with ? " I asked 
her in return. "Why isn't an egg a chicken ? Why 
isn't a baby-girl a woman? It is all growth, Mary. 
Growth is God : you have only had but few revela- 
tions yet." 

Step by step, I tried to show her the different 
phases of life, both high and low. As we were pas- 
sing along through a place where the sorrowful con- 
gregate and those who had such life experiences as 
made it impossible as yet to overcome them, she said, 
"Oh ! Samuel, see these distressed people ; and I 
have not a cent in my pocket to give them." 

"Have you a pocket, Mary ? " I asked. 

"No, not even a pocket; " 

"Well, you know the old saying, 'The shroud 
has no pocket, " is fully realized here. These peo- 
ple have brought the memory of unhappy and sinful 
living with them. All the money of Christendom 
would not relieve them. They are hungry, ah, so 
hungry but it is the hunger of the soul. 

"Can't I do them some good, can't I talk with 
them ?" 



119 

"Yes, by and by, when you have learned more 
of our ways of doing effective work, but come, we 
will go to a more cheerful place," and quickly as we 
willed it, we were there. She, my beloved of my old 
life, is now more truly mine than ever, and our rela- 
tions are those which keep alive the best aspirations 
of the past, and unite with present desires for an end- 
less work of love. 

The Revelator, thousands of years ago, tried to 
describe Heaven, and because of his dearth of lan- 
guage, and his appealing to the greed of men whose 
desires were all for gold and gems, described it as 
abounding in them — while if I try to describe it, my 
words like his, are only as withered leaves to the 
pure bud and blossom. My best spiritual thought 
takes on such earthly form, that the people there 
cannot discern as I pray they may, the difference be- 
tween the earthly and the spiritual. 

Samuel Bowles. 



THE HYMNAL: 

A Practical Song Book for Congregational Singing, 

This new book of 40 pages, contains about 160 hymns, (with- 
out music) every one of which can be sung by a congregation. 
The tunes are easy and generally well known. On the fly leaf is 
printed the titles and addresses of publishers of the books con- 
taining the songs. They are mostly to be found in the Spiritual. 
Harp and the Gospel Hymns. 

The words of this new edition of the HYMNAL are spec- 
ially appropriate for use in meetings of Spiritualists, but other 
societies could use them. 

The work is published by H. A. Btjdington at 91 Sherman st 7 
Springfield, Mass. and can be supplied to societies for $10. per hun- 
dred copies; or 12 cents a copy in less quantities. By mail 2 cents 
extra. It is by far the best and cheapest book of hymns yet issued! 
for congregational use. 

•Send seven 2 cent stamps for sample copy by mail; post paid. 



DEATH IS BIRTH: 

The Outcome of Transition. 

H. A, KUDINGTOjS". 
O 

This pamphlet of twenty eight pages, contains a con- 
densed statement of the reports of apparently truthful 
and intelligent spirits which have been made to the au- 
thor at various times, concerning the nature of death? 
and what follows. 

It is hoped that the reading of it will awaken a desire 
to investigate spirit return, and emancipate the mind 
from the gloomy view of death, which darkens the future 
of millions of the human race, 

SUBJECTS TREATED— Object of earth life— Cremation- 
Mourning at the grave— Do not hastily pack in ice— Spirit birth of 
a good man— Do not weep at the bedside of the dying— Everlast- 
ing life— The spirit body is within the nervous system— Heredity 
as seen from spirit life— Infanticide— Bight gestation — Location of 
the spirit spheres— On which sphere shall we dwell immediately 
after death?— What shall we do in heaven?— Bad habits last after 
death— Music in the spheres— Art in heaven— Poetry in heaven — 
The world's martyrs— Science in heaven — Statesmen in spirit life 
—Priests and clergymen in spirit life— Materialists surprised on 
entering spirit life — Others deny that they are dead— Little chil- 
dren in spirit life— "Why not desire early transition?— Life in the 
highest sphere. 

For sale by the Stak Publishing CO., 91 Sherman st. Spring- 
field, Mass. Price 10 cents; postage I cent- 



GLIMPSES OF HEAVEN. 

BY 

GILBERT HAVEN, 

Price, 20 cents. Postage, 1 cent. 

Coxtenxs- What his former "Appeals" have accomplished- 
John Wesley— Methodists reading his "Appeals"— Many Ministers 
are sensitives— The grandeur of spirit life— A visit with John Wes- 
ley—The Bitterness of Death— Music in Heaven— The Concert for 
Healing— Marriage in Heaven— Babes fn Heaven— Old People in 
Heaven— Whittier— Longfellow— Tennyson— The useless praise of 
God— Danger from the Catholics— Their Purgatory— A second visit 
to John Wesley— The Beauty of Spirit Homes, Indescribable— J. G. 
Blaine— B. F. Butler— A Visit to Liberty Valley— An Address by 
Thomas Paine— The Wonder of Spirit Communion— Half Developed 
Mediums should not give Public Seances— Dishonest Mi^terializa- 
tions— Gentle Rain in Heaven— Schools for teaching Spirit Child- 
ren how to Communicate back to their Parents— A Genuine Mate- 
rialization Seance. 

.-^-. • 

*" Appeals to the Methodists" can be obtained of the publisher 
of tin? book, at 5 cents a copy; postage,! cent. 



Four New Books, 

BY THE 
FARADAY MEDIUM. 

Planetaky Evolution. 132 pages, paper, 50 cents. 

Sidereal Evolution. 143 pages, (illustrated) 50 cents. 

These strikingly original booxs'upou astronomical science con- 
tain statements of processes in the formation of planets and stars 
which, if true, furn'ish a new foundation for the study of the uni- 
verse. Tne books are full of new ideas on the birth of planets 
from the mother sun, and of the origin of suns from star stuff. 

Illuminated Brahminism. 130 pages, 50 cents. 

Illuminated Buddhism. 103 pages, 50 cents. 

These books claim to explain what the founders of Brahmin- 
ism and Buddhism taught. What the real Nirvana is, and what 
is true Theosophy are stated; the information claiming to come 
from the ancient spirits of India, Kanga Hilyod and Siddartha 
Saka Muni. These works sustain the reputation of the Faraday 
medium as one of the b3St instruments for the transmission of 
scientific thought from advanced spirits. 

For sale by the Star Publishing Co., 91 Sherman st. Spring 
field, Mass. 



LEAFLETS FROM THE BEYOND, 

BY 

GILBERT HAVEN. 

Late Bishop of The Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Pice 10 Cents. Postage, 1 Cent. 

CONTENTS. 

New phases of Mediumship. — The Sing Sing Prison. — Stir- 
piculture.— The School of Heredity.— The Wolf Child.— Story of 
the Woman who was shocked by a Drunken Man. The effect on 
her Unborn Child. — Schools in Spirit Life for the Education of 
Deaf Mutes. — Inherited Religions. — Elephantiasis. 
> u 

This very important pamphlet upon Heredity as 
seen from spirit life, was written automatically by the 
band of Mrs. Carrie E. S. Twing. 

It relates valuable experiences, showing the lasting 
effect of environment during the gestative period and 
the persistence of heredity; often reappearing in alter- 
nate generations for many decades. 

Young mothers especially should study this work. 
By heeding its suggestions, many errors in the genera- 
tion and development of offspring will be avoided. 

H. A. Budington. 

Springfield, Mass. 1897. 



THE HISTORICAL JESUS. 

By GERALD .MASSE Y. 

This book of 224 pages, octavo, is a valuable study on the origin of 
the Christian Religion. The Gods of ancient Egypt are here shown 
to be largely the originals of the Christian Jesus and the twelve 
Apostles. Mr. Massey has made, with the aid of eminent Egyptol- 
ogists, exhaustive study of these myths; the work carries the 
reader almost irresistibly to the conclusion that the New Testa- 
ment is in many parts, made from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, 

Price, 50 cents; postage, 6 cents; cloth, 75 cents, postages cts. 

For sale by the Star Publishing Co., 91 Sherman St., Springfield 
Mass. 



/Wgv^ v v^^\j 



>w^Lv^ u 



Bww 



g^^^ 



Wwww^sMmM 



mm 



Wfivv 



'mMMmd^t^ 



m^gm^ 






'wwwuww^yy 



UMM 



^y# 






WWNMwwww 



vWwwywv' 



iw^VM^V, ,■ w jV 






/wwwW 1 



mmmmmm 



mm. 



yVVyW^ 



^yWWWVWWvwww^Wvw^; 



ww -am 






/Vp^'V* 






WWW^ 






A«# 



I*******. 



WW w wW ww w - 



J|W*y»V*W« 









&NN 



wvv^u'Jijv i tvjjy.ivw 






V»v v V v VVvv «/_&/ 












mmm^^ 






^SSft^^ 



v*W 






( wvvV^ 



WW 



wv vv v vv w vvvv 






